Shadow Life
by ColREHogan
Summary: Ch. 23 is UP! The Battle Royale has begun, but what happened after the tidal wave caused by the Dark Gundam's appearance?
1. Enter Midnight Gundam

Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission.

Shadow Life – Part 1

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          Somewhere in Neo-Poland, not very far from the border of Neo-Germany, a gundam fight is about to take place.  Schwarz Bruder had left Shinjuku to return to Neo-Germany to train harder than before now that he had seen the tremendously huge power of the Dark Gundam.  The last leg of his journey was through Neo-Poland and he happened to come across these two gundams about to fight.  He stopped on a nearby plateau to watch.  Night was rapidly falling and he decided to rest here for the night.

          As the two gundams squared off in the forest clearing below, Schwarz watched intently.  He recognized the Midnight Gundam of Neo-Austria and recalled that it was very similar to his Shadow Gundam in many respects, but this was the first time he'd seen it in action.  From what he'd heard, its pilot had won against all of her opponents thus far.  On the other hand, he knew that Neo-Poland's Gundam Magnat was nothing to be taken lightly.  Beneath his mask, Schwarz's lips curved upwards ever so slightly as he anticipated witnessing an interesting match.

          The two gundams charged one another.  The sounds of their fists meeting drifted up to where he stood on the plateau.  The fighters traded fierce blows and Vulcan gunfire back and forth for several minutes.

          Suddenly, he sensed something nearby.  _What the? Schwarz wondered as his body automatically tensed for battle.  His attention was drawn to the wooded area behind Midnight Gundam.  His keen vision picked out the glowing pink eye of a member of the dark army.  His sudden sharp intake of breath and wide eyes were the only indication of emotion on Schwarz's masked face._

          He turned and climbed into his gundam's cockpit.  He hadn't suspected there would be trouble here tonight.  The Dark Gundam and its army was last seen in Shinjuku in Japan; halfway across the planet.  Once he was settled inside the cockpit, he noticed that he could hardly pick out Midnight Gundam from the night sky.  "Interesting..." he said.

  
  


          Neo-Austria's fighter Karla Geist was holding her own in her battle against Gundam Magnat.  Its Vulcan guns fired and as she blocked the barrage of bullets, something hooked her ankle.

          _What the? She shouldn't be able to see me any longer!_ Karla thought.  Looking down, she saw that Neo-Poland had hooked her leg with a chain.

          "Damn you!" shouted Karla.  "Midnight swords!" Two black swords flipped out and forward towards her enemy from their hidden compartments on the outer part of her forearms.  She swiftly sliced the beam chain from around her leg.  Another chain flew to take its place before she could jump away.

          Karla's monitor lit up with her opponent's triumphant face.  Chelsea Walesa laughed evilly.  "Those won't help you!" She launched a flying kick that knocked down Midnight Gundam.  With a ferocious yank on the chain, Walesa pulled hard on Midnight Gundam's leg.

          Inside the cockpit, Karla howled in pain.  The black mobile trace suit she wore had her entire left leg lit up and she found that she couldn't move it.  She refused to give up and as Walesa approached to deliver the final blow to Midnight Gundam's head, Karla moved so quickly that she was a blur.  She rolled over, pushed up on her arms, and swung out her other leg to trip Walesa.

          Her leg made contact and Gundam Magnat tumbled face first to the ground.  Over her gundam's speaker, Karla heard Walesa screaming, "I'll get you, Geist!"

          Karla shouted, "NO!!!" She fired her Gundam's booster rockets and was able to rise and stand on her good leg.  Gundam Magnat hadn't yet moved and Karla saw her only opportunity to win the match.  She leaned forward, swung her right arm and its blade at Magnat's head, which an instant later was swiftly severed from its body.

          Midnight Gundam fell and rolled away from the now headless Gundam Magnat.  The impact threw Karla against the mobile trace system and it shorted out, shocking her into unconsciousness.

  
  


          Schwarz looked over towards where Midnight Gundam now lay in a heap; he saw several more of the dark army gundams in his monitors.  They were slowly surrounding the two combatants.  He saw the beheaded gundam lying on the ground.  He flew over to Midnight Gundam and as the dark army gundams came into the clearing, he gathered the damaged Neo-Austria gundam into his arms and took off once more.  He didn't know the fighter's name, but he couldn't leave her as food for the dark army.  Looking around, he saw that the cockpit hatch on the other gundam was open and assumed the pilot had escaped.

          "Hey!" Schwarz called to the pilot of Midnight Gundam.  There was no response.  A moment later, a picture of the other gundam's cockpit appeared on his screen.  It looked like it was in pretty bad shape.  He heard a moan from its pilot and decided that talking could wait until later.  She needed medical attention.  He landed on the far side of the dark army and started running towards the Neo-German border.  The Neo-Austria gundam was in need of repair and he would tend to the pilot as best he could.  "I'll help you as soon as I can, Neo-Austria."

  
          Karla opened her eyes some time later and saw the starry sky overhead.  She tried to sit up, but was still dizzy.  "Ohhh," she moaned.

          "I see you're awake," a male voice calmly said from her right.

          Karla turned her head and saw a masked man wearing a trench coat, black pants and jackboots sitting on a blanket a few feet away.  With one hand, she whipped out her dagger and brandished it at him; with the other, she checked to make sure her own mask was still in place.

          "You are safe here," he continued softly.  "And don't worry; I didn't remove your mask further than above your mouth to make sure that you were still breathing.  What's your name?"

          The firelight lit his eyes with a sparkle and there was something in the tone of his voice that reassured her.  As she slowly replaced her blade to its sheath, she asked, "What happened to me after the fight and who are you?"

          The man regarded her silently for a moment before replying, "I am Schwarz Bruder of Neo-Germany."

          She recognized his mask as being made up of the colors of the Neo-German flag and answered, "My name is Karla Geist; I'm the Neo-Austria fighter."

          Schwarz nodded and said, "As far as what happened to you, I'm still trying to sort out what I saw while you were fighting.  I watched your match with Neo-Poland from a distance."  He took a small pot from the grate over the fire, picked up a cup containing a spoon, poured the hot water into the cup, stirred the mixture and handed it to her.

          Karla sniffed the liquid and watched as he poured himself a cup.  She asked, "Why did you help me?"

          Schwarz stared into the fire.  "I have my reasons."

          She looked at Schwarz suspiciously and then at the tea he'd given her.  He slowly lifted his black, yellow and red mask far enough that he could sip the tea.  It was then that she noticed him watching her intently over the rim of his cup.

          "The tea is safe to drink or else I wouldn't be drinking it," Schwarz said evenly, evading her question.

          Karla nodded and raised her red, white and red striped mask up such that she too could drink the warm tea.  After taking a couple of sips, she held the cup to warm her hands.  A brisk breeze blew from the north and she felt a shiver run through her body as she realized that she was still wearing her mobile trace suit.  Finishing the tea, she pulled down her mask over her chin and looked around the area.  Midnight Gundam was being held in an embrace by his gundam.

          Closing her eyes and smiling beneath her mask, Karla wryly commented, "You have an interesting sense of humor, Schwarz."  When there was no response from him, she continued, "Did you examine the damage to my gundam?" She suspected that he had and despite what the Neo-Austrian government would think, she really didn't care.  Anything so that she and her gundam could get back in the fight.

          "Yes," replied Schwarz.  "I didn't examine the cockpit, though.  I know that's off-limits.  I was only in there long enough to get you out."

          Karla climbed into the cockpit of her gundam, opened a small compartment in her core lander and pulled out her clothes and sword.  She looked around and saw that the damage was extensive, but repairable if she had access to the right equipment.

          The cockpit door closed behind Karla and she changed clothes before securing the cockpit once more and returning to where Schwarz sat by the fire.  She now wore black, loose-fitting pants, a black shirt and a black leather coat and gloves.  She looked like a shadow, except for her mask.  As she sat down on the blanket again, she said, "Thank you for helping me, Schwarz."

          He looked towards her and replied, "You're welcome.  Get some sleep.  I'll keep watch for a while."  Karla lay back and pulled her coat's lapels close and the blanket over her.  It wasn't long before she fell asleep.

  
  


          It was an uneventful night.  Schwarz ran the events of the night through his head as he kept watch while Karla slept.  When he climbed into the cockpit of her gundam to get her out, he had taken notice of some of the damage.  Karla was unconscious when he found her.  He cautiously pushed aside the dangling wires and lifted her still form.  By the time he jumped down to the ground, she was still out cold.  He had some medical training, but if it weren't enough, he would seek help elsewhere.

          Schwarz carefully placed Karla on a blanket and covered her with a second one while he got the first aid kit and a small pillow from his core lander.  He turned on the med scanner and checked her vital signs.  They were stable, but she had sustained a strong electrical shock from the mobile trace system.  With rest, she should be fine by morning.  If she wasn't, then he would have to contact the Neo-Austria people.

          He wondered what she looked like beneath her mask and why she wore one.  She had her reasons, just as he did.  She rolled over and a soft sigh escaped her lips.  He had heard rumors that this woman was a ruthless fighter.  Watching her fight, Schwarz saw her true fighting spirit come out even after her gundam was put to a severe disadvantage.  Refusing to give up, she had turned the match in her favor and won.

          Right now, his main concern was the minions of the dark army that he had seen in Neo-Poland.  How had they gotten there so quickly from Shinjuku or was the Dark Gundam merely sending its troops worldwide to engage him and the members of the Shuffle Alliance? Was Karla somehow connected to the Dark Gundam?


	2. Repairs and Mysteries

Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission.

Shadow Life – Part 2

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          The next morning, Schwarz was putting some tools back into his core lander when he heard the sound of a rock as it was kicked into the brush.  He turned and saw Karla looking at her gundam.  He had completely repaired its leg during the night.  That damage had been less serious than he'd first thought.  Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she walked over to where he stood.

          "Thank you," said Karla as she put her hands on her hips.

          Schwarz glanced over his shoulder at her and replied, "Sure, no problem."

          He finished putting the last tool in its place.  When he turned to face Karla again a moment later, she was gone.  He looked up at Midnight Gundam and saw that she was climbing up into the cockpit.  "You don't waste time, do you?" he called to her.

          "I'm not here to waste time.  I'm here to fight in the gundam fight!" she called back.  A moment later, her masked head popped out of the cockpit once more.  "Don't let me stop you from leaving.  I know that you have places to go."

          "I'm in no rush to leave," said Schwarz.  He examined her sword, which was resting against his core lander.  "Mind if I look at your sword?"

          "Go ahead," replied Karla.  A moment later, he heard the sound of electricity popping, looked up and saw smoke coming from her gundam's cockpit.  "OW!" she shouted.

          Grabbing the sword, he quickly jumped up the gundam's body to the cockpit.  Poking his head inside, he asked, "Are you all right?"

          "Yeah.  One of the receptors on my mobile trace suit punctured this panel and that's how I almost got fried last night," said Karla, shaking her hand and then flexing her fingers.

          He went down to his core lander and returned with a piece of metal.  "May I suggest that you try this? It's titanium and won't be so easily fractured."

          When Karla took the piece from him, their hands touched briefly.  He looked into her brown eyes and found it difficult to turn away.  As Schwarz blinked and released his grip on the panel, he said, "I'll be in the forest.  I need to relax and focus my energies."

          "Okay.  This repair shouldn't take me long to complete.  I'll finish and then run a few tests before we leave this place," said Karla.

          Schwarz took a couple of steps before looking back and muttering, "What is this, are we partners now?" His smile beneath the mask was one of amusement.

  
  


          Karla chuckled at Schwarz's muttered comment.  She liked him.  He helped her out of a jam, but what bothered her was the as yet unknown reason of why he had done it in the first place.  Shaking her head to clear her thoughts and focus on the task at hand, she spot welded some brackets to hold the wires in place and then attached the metal plate that Schwarz had given her.  It was a perfect fit.  She put on a pair of boots and gloves with wires connected to them, stood and felt her gundam respond.  The cockpit door closed; she balanced herself on her right leg, and swung her left around and kicked her leg into the air several times.  She jumped up, did some more kicking and leg swings with her newly repaired left leg and then landed with all her weight on that leg alone.  It held and there was no indication of a problem from the mobile trace system maintenance mode.  She put both feet on the ground, shut off the gundam and the maintenance mode, and then opened the cockpit door.

          After taking off the boots and gloves and replacing those with hers, Karla jumped down from the gundam.  When she stood on the ground, she turned and looked up at its black visage.  Crossing her arms over her chest, she felt a surge of pride that she was able to get the cockpit back into good shape.  And Schwarz had done an excellent job repairing the left leg.

          She supposed that she should really go to the Austrian government facilities in Berlin to have a more thorough check of these recent repairs.  Instead, she decided to relax for a while.  Her transport, along with the mechanic who had been assigned to assist her during the gundam fight, was waiting for her in Berlin.  After he recently made a pass at her, she sent him ahead.  When she arrived in Berlin, she was going to demand a new mechanic.

  
  


          In the forest, Schwarz was using Karla's sword as he'd used his own before giving it to Domon Kasshu.  He was slicing through trees as though they were butter.  Right now, they were thin trees, even for him.  His mind kept wandering back to Karla.  It seemed to him that he knew her from somewhere.  Yet he never recalled meeting her before yesterday.  Looking up, he saw a tree that was at least the size of his body in diameter and charged it.

          Schwarz swung Karla's blade through the air.  He could hear the movement of the blade as it sliced through the air.  His sight was focused on the tree and the blade bit deeply into the tree.  It seemed to take an eternity for the blade to cut through the tree, yet he had put all his weight behind it and had felt that his mind was focused.  As the tree finally fell, Schwarz was troubled not only by his lack of concentration but also his thoughts about Karla and the sword fell from his hands to the ground where it landed with a thud.

          _I keep thinking about Karla! Why?_ Schwarz wondered as he closed his eyes.

          It started raining.  Soon the drops began falling through the leaves and Schwarz felt several drops hit his head.  With a sigh, he leaned over, picked up the sword, returned it to its black scabbard, turned and headed back to the clearing where Karla and their gundams were.  It was time for him to move on.

  
  


          Karla was sitting on the blanket in the clearing and meditating when it started raining.  The rain continued to fall harder until she decided to take shelter.  It annoyed her that she wanted to seek shelter, but she had no desire to become sick.  Looking around, she found that she had two choices, either inside her gundam's cockpit or Schwarz's core lander.  She chose the latter as it was closer; she climbed inside, sat down and closed the canopy.  With a shrug, she closed her eyes to relax her mind once more.  The falling rain did more than allow her to relax; she inadvertently fell asleep.

  
  


          A short while later, the core lander's canopy opened briefly and startled Karla awake.  Opening her eyes, she saw Schwarz climbing in and relaxed.  Looking at the darkening sky, she saw that the rain wasn't letting up.

          Schwarz handed her sword back to her.  "It's an excellent blade.  Thanks for letting me borrow it."

          "You're welcome.  I suppose I'd better get going," said Karla.

          "Why?" inquired Schwarz as he closed the canopy.  "You might as well wait out the storm."

          With a shrug, Karla nodded her agreement as the sky grew darker and the storm outside raged on.

  
  


          "What happened during my fight? Why was Walesa almost able to defeat me?" wondered Karla aloud.

          "I think that you relied too much on the fact that your gundam becomes virtually invisible against the night sky.  Perhaps Neo-Poland knew to expect that from you," commented Schwarz.

          Incredulous, Karla asked, "You saw that?"

          With a nod, Schwarz acknowledged, "I did.  I was impressed.  I've never seen a gundam become virtually invisible in that way.  Next time, you should move quicker after it happens."

          Karla looked over at Schwarz.  "You wouldn't care to test me on that would you?" she asked with a playful wink.

          Schwarz folded his arms across his chest and softly chuckled.  "Not now."

          Her eyes narrowed and her tone was more serious as she asked, "Why not?"

          "Oh I'll be happy to test you, but I think we're better off conserving our energies for the time being," replied Schwarz calmly.

          Karla exclaimed, "You're talking in riddles!" Closing her eyes, she shook her head.  She took a few breaths to calm herself before continuing, "And you never did tell me why you helped me."

          Schwarz's dark gaze met hers.  He seemed to be contemplating his response.  "I saw a great fight between you and Neo-Poland.  During the fight, I noticed something in the forest behind you.  After your gundam fell, they advanced quickly on your position.  I suspected they were members of the dark army.  I couldn't just leave you there."

          Karla was silent for a moment as she considered what he said.  "Danke, Schwarz.  I owe you my life.  I won't forget that."

  
  


          As Schwarz and Karla waited in his core lander for the storm to abate, a video call came from the Neo-German government.

          "Ah, Schwarz, I see you've resurfaced since you fought in the battle with that monstrous Dark Gundam in Shinjuku," the Chancellor of Neo-Germany began.

          "Chancellor von Geist," answered Schwarz.

          The chancellor apparently noticed Karla's presence then and demanded, "Who is this?!"

          Schwarz replied, "This is the fighter from Neo-Austria.  Her name is Karla Geist."

          The Chancellor grunted an acknowledgement.  Schwarz frowned beneath his mask.  "She represents a different nation; she's your enemy!" the Chancellor protested vehemently.

          "Humph! Don't let me interrupt you!" muttered Karla acidly.  She opened the canopy and climbed out into the pouring rain.

          Schwarz's jaw hung open in shock beneath his mask as he stood and watched Karla as she ran to her gundam.  He sat down, closed the canopy and said, "Chancellor von Geist, was it necessary to be so rude to her? You could have..."

          "Silence! I could have you arrested for treason!" von Geist began sharply.  "But, I will overlook your fraternization with the Neo-Austria woman for now.  You are to focus on winning the Gundam fight for our Fatherland.  Is that clear?"

          Schwarz looked up as Midnight Gundam powered up and took off.  His sharp intake of breath was the only indication to the chancellor that anything had happened.

          When Schwarz looked back at the video console, his eyes narrowed slightly and his lips pursed into a flat line beneath his mask.  "Jawohl, Herr Chancellor," he replied sharply.

          "What's happening there?" von Geist demanded.

          Schwarz gave a single snort of laughter.  "Thanks to you, nothing is happening, sir.  Good-bye," replied Schwarz as he reached over to the console and turned off the video link.  _Hmmm._  Chancellor Heinrich von Geist of Neo-Germany and now I've met this Karla Geist of Neo-Austria.  He knew that Geist was a common name in Neo-Germany.  Is the similarity of their names pure coincidence? Or is there a connection between them?_ wondered Schwarz._

  
  


          As Karla crossed the short distance to her gundam, she forced down the bitter anger in her heart.  It wasn't Schwarz's fault that the Neo-German chancellor was a royal pain in the ass.  She rubbed her eyes as her angry tears mixed with the rain.  When she climbed into her gundam's cockpit, she activated the mobile trace system.

          _It will serve that pompous idiot of a chancellor right when I win the championship for Neo-Austria!_ thought Karla with a satisfied smirk.  When her mobile trace suit was snug on her body, she fired up the thrusters and took off in the direction of the old German capital of Berlin.

          As Karla flew her gundam towards Berlin, she came across a campsite in the woods.  She landed nearby and approached the campsite stealthily on foot.  Looking up, she saw the gundam that stood above her and recognized it as the Gundam Rose of Neo-France.

          _George de Sand of Neo-France! I look forward to fighting you and your Gundam Rose!_ thought Karla as she left the cover of the trees and crossed to the small table where George sat relaxing with a glass of wine.

          "George de Sand," said Karla.

          "What the?" asked George.  Looking around and seeing no one, he demanded, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

          Karla laughed and became visible an arms' length from George.  "So you're the great George de Sand, knight extraordinaire of Neo-France."

          "Yes.  And just who are you under your mask?" asked George.

          "I am Karla Geist and I represent Neo-Austria," answered Karla as she calmly folded her arms across her chest.

          "What do you want here?" asked George, a sudden look of fear crossing his features.

          "I came to challenge you to a gundam fight," answered Karla.

          Stunned, George stood there, gaping.  Karla's eyes narrowed as she watched his body language.  Something was wrong.  Everything she had heard about this man suggested that he was indeed an excellent fighter and a noble knight.  She wondered, _Is__ this the real George de Sand I see in front of me, a coward?_


	3. Nightmares Begin

Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission.

Shadow Life – Part 3

By: Diane Maher

  
  


          George de Sand stared incredulously at the masked woman standing in front of him.  Indecision shot through him for the first time since the start of the gundam fight.  As he was about to reply, an older man came out of the Neo-France transport.  George felt a surge of strength as his butler Raymond Bishop approached.  Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, George said, "I shall consider your request."

          Karla demanded, "What?!?!"

          "I said that I shall consider your request for a match.  The party being challenged has the right to decline, if they so desire."  George glanced at his watch.  It was still early evening and there was plenty of time to either fight or decline.  "Return here in one hour.  I shall give you my decision then."

          "Humph!" muttered Karla.  Her brown eyes narrowed as she continued in a harsh tone, "So be it, Neo-France! I shall return here at the appointed time."  She disappeared in front of his eyes.

          "Master George, who or what was that?" asked Raymond.

          George turned away before Raymond could see the pained expression on his face.  "That was the gundam fighter representing Neo-Austria.  She challenged me to a duel."

          "Did you accept?" asked Raymond.

          His shoulders slumped and George replied, "No.  Not yet.  You heard me tell her to return in an hour."

          Looking down at his feet, Raymond quietly commented, "Yes.  Is there anything you need, Master George?"

          "Another glass of wine, if you would, please."  George didn't want Raymond to see how afraid he was.  That woman scared him.  _And I think that I'm a knight? HA!!_ thought George as he looked at his trembling hands.

          When Raymond arrived and placed the glass and the bottle on the table, George went and sat to the table again.  After Raymond filled the glass and placed it in front of him, George said, "That is all, Raymond."

          Only when Raymond left, did George try to pick up the fluted glass.  He was dismayed when he saw the liquid shaking.  His other hand steadied the glass long enough for him to drink the wine.

  
  


          Karla returned to where she had hidden her gundam in the woods not far from the Neo-France campsite.  She sat beneath a tree and leaned against it as she considered what she had seen when she spoke with George de Sand.  She knew that she didn't like it.  But what was it that she didn't like? Was it her attitude or his lack of spirit for the gundam fight?

          "You had best worry about your attitude first," a voice said from the trees.

          Karla recognized the voice as Schwarz Bruder's.  She called, "What are you doing here?"

          "I'm keeping my eye on you.  If your mind wasn't so preoccupied, you would have heard me approach," responded Schwarz.

          Karla knew he was right.  After all, according to her teachers, she had been trained in the same ninjitsu school as he had.  Schwarz was considered the finest student ever to have gone through the school.  She had aspired to be like him but now, having met him, found that she had a long way to go.

          "What would you have me do, avoid a fight?" asked Karla.

          "No," replied Schwarz.  "You do not have to challenge all whose paths you cross."

          Karla said smugly, "I didn't challenge you."  The moonlight began to lighten up the clearing behind him.  Schwarz was as much a shadow to her as she was to him.

          "True.  However, if you make it to the finals of the gundam fight, I believe that we will meet in combat," commented Schwarz.

          "Yes."  Karla stood, pulled out a black shuriken and threw it at him.  He caught it on the fly.  With a sharp intake of breath, she realized that Schwarz was truly a master if he could catch a black shuriken thrown with all her might at him in the darkness of both night and the deep shadows of the trees they stood beneath.

          Schwarz came and stood next to her.  He turned her to face him and stared into her eyes.  She tried to move, but his grip upon her was iron clad.  After a few moments, he said, "I believe that until you are able to clear your mind and soul of whatever plagues you, you will not be able to reach your full potential."

          "I...I...can hardly face myself.  I know that a warrior must be clear of mind and whole in spirit," whispered Karla.

          "If you have so little confidence in yourself, how on earth did you get through your training?" asked Schwarz.

          "It's not that I've lost confidence in myself," whispered Karla.  "In battle, I am fully capable of utilizing my training to defeat my opponents."

          "Then what happened?" asked Schwarz.

          Closing her eyes, Karla paused before quietly replying, "I...I can't tell you.  Not yet.  I must face my demons alone."

          Schwarz closed his eyes, shook his head in frustration and said, "You sound like Neo-Japan's Domon Kasshu."  He released his grip on her and turned away.

          Mystified, Karla asked, "Why do you say that?"

          "Domon is very stubborn.  He insists on being so physical - about trying to solve every problem he faces with force.  He is a fool.  You on the other hand, are just plain stubborn," replied Schwarz.

          "How do you know Domon is so stubborn?" asked Karla.  She was glad that he hadn't called her a fool, though sometimes she felt that way.

          There was a long silence before Schwarz turned to face her and replied, "His teacher, Master Asia, has betrayed him and yet Domon still clings to him like a lost child."

          "And you think I'm being just as foolish by trying to face my inner demons alone?" inquired Karla.

          "Foolish? No, at least you acknowledge their existence.  Domon is stubbornly refusing to believe that his precious Master Asia could possibly willingly affiliate himself with the Dark Gundam.  It is beyond his capacity to understand that Master no longer cares one bit about Domon, his life or his training; even after Master admitted this to his face."

          Changing the subject, Karla asked, "What about you, Schwarz? Why do you hide behind a mask?"

          "Like so many things in the world around us, this mask is a tool.  I use it merely to conceal my true identity, nothing more," replied Schwarz.  "You hide your true self behind the mask of your inner demons.  When you are able to reveal your true self, you will become more powerful.  I don't mean that you must remove your mask; it must become a tool as mine is."

          Karla considered what Schwarz was saying.  She whispered, "Your teachers were right about you."  Then she disappeared and reappeared in her gundam's cockpit.

          Schwarz's eyes widened in surprise and he asked, "How...how do you know my teachers?"

          Midnight Gundam took off and headed for the Neo-France campsite.  Schwarz was no closer to understanding Karla Geist than he had been after their last encounter.  What could be troubling her so much that would distract her like this? He managed to keep his secret troubles at bay by trying to help Domon Kasshu in his quest to destroy the Dark Gundam.  He decided to help Karla Geist realize her full potential.

          Karla's change from confident, he would even say arrogant gundam fighter to the reticent woman he'd seen briefly tonight prompted another question in his mind._  Does the Neo-German chancellor have anything to do with her predicament?_ He recalled her irate reaction to the man.  The similarity of their surnames still troubled him.

          Hearing the sounds of battle in the distance, Schwarz said to the air, "I am willing to help you achieve your full potential, Karla.  Along the way, I may determine what plagues you.  However, you are fighting George de Sand now.  I will watch your match against him with much interest."  He then disappeared and reappeared inside his gundam's cockpit.  A few minutes later, he stood invisibly nearby as the two gundams charged one another.

  
  


          The sound of a gundam approaching startled George.  He had finally relaxed from his earlier encounter with the Neo-Austria woman.  A quick glance at his watch revealed that the hour was up and the time to decide whether he would fight was now.  He was bound by his loyalty to fight for his nation.  Pushing down his fears and misgivings, he stood and straightened his clothes.

          When the gundam came to a halt standing next to his Gundam Rose, the cockpit door opened and the woman jumped down to the ground.  She walked over to where he stood.

          "Do you accept my challenge, George de Sand?" she asked.

          With a curt nod, George raised his saber in a gesture of acceptance.  "I do."  She returned to her gundam and he entered his gundam's cockpit.

          As George's mobile trace system activated and the suit was drawn tightly over his body, he tried to focus on his opponent.  During the hour after her challenge, he had used part of the time to look up information on Neo-Austria's Midnight Gundam and its mysterious masked female pilot.  All he found out about the pilot was that her name was Karla Geist.  There was no background information on her.  Midnight Gundam was an all black machine.  It had four Vulcan guns, two Midnight swords, and a beam Manriki Kusari, a Japanese-style spike and chain whip used by Ninja.

          George charged at his opponent.  At the last instant, she stepped aside and his forward momentum carried him to the ground.

          Recovering quickly, George stood.  When he didn't attack immediately, the masked face of his opponent filled his screen.  "Are you just going to stand there?" she demanded.

          He lifted his sword and charged her.  Her two swords materialized and she easily blocked his attack.  A moment later, he felt a stabbing pain in his left hip.

          "AAAHHH!!!" George cried out in pain.

          The next thing he knew, she slammed her knee into his stomach and he doubled over in pain.  It took him longer to stand this time.  He heard her soft chuckle mocking him over the speaker.

          _Why can't I fight her?_ George asked himself.  He felt the sweat beading on his forehead.

          Reaching up and wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, George looked at the face of his opponent's gundam.  His vision swam briefly and the image he saw before him was no longer that of Midnight Gundam, but that of the Dark Gundam.

          "NOOO!!!!" George screamed.

          "What the..?" Karla jumped back in shock.  "Are you out of your mind?"

          George didn't hear her.  His eyes were bulged out in terror.  He spread his legs to shoulder width to ensure better footing, raised his clenched fists up to his shoulders and then brought them down to his waist with a yell.  This acted like a power-up for his gundam and he charged at his opponent again.

  
  


          Karla took a defensive stance, activated her Manriki Kusari and started twirling one end of it above her head.  As Gundam Rose charged her, she threw that end of the whip and it wrapped around George's legs.

          Gundam Rose collapsed to the ground in a heap.  It rolled over and sat up on the ground.  "Get away from me!!!" shouted George hysterically.  "I shall not serve you, Dark Gundam!"  George waved his sword in the direction of Midnight Gundam.  "I shall not!!!"

          She stared at the Gundam Rose.  It was swinging its saber much like a child would when not getting their way.  Yet this is George de Sand, gundam fighter of Neo-France.  Why is he acting this way? Karla wondered.  She shook her head in disgust and said, "We shall finish our battle at another time, Neo-France.  I will not fight an opponent who is not whole of mind."  She then deactivated her whip, turned, activated her thrusters and flew off towards Berlin.

          "NOOO!!! I cannot allow you to escape my wrath, Dark Gundam!" George cried out a minute later as he activated his thrusters, and pointed his saber towards Midnight Gundam who was now some distance away.

  
  


          As the Gundam Rose caught up to Midnight Gundam, Schwarz shouted, "Look out, Karla!!"

          He watched in horror as Midnight Gundam started turning back towards a charging Gundam Rose.  As she did, George's saber punctured her gundam through the right side of the cockpit.

          Gundam Rose wasn't stopping there.  Its fists pummeled Midnight Gundam's torso until both machines fell crashing to earth.

          Schwarz became visible and swiftly made his way to the battle site.  He wasn't sure if Karla was still alive and found that he was truly concerned about her well-being.  Upon his arrival, he saw how bad the damage to Midnight Gundam was.  "Oh no! Midnight Gundam!"

          His eyes widened with fear as he whispered, "Karla!"

  
  


          Inside the cockpit of Gundam Rose, George de Sand finally expended his rage.  As his mind slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy, he stopped pounding on Midnight Gundam.  His breathing was ragged as his rage passed.  He blinked as though he had no idea of where he was and then heard a voice desperately calling his name.

          "Master George!! Master George!!" Raymond called over the gundam's speaker.

          "What is it, Raymond?" asked George.  His eyes then registered what was before him.  His saber had pierced the cockpit of his opponent's gundam.  Stunned, he couldn't believe his eyes.

          Slowly, he pulled his saber from his opponent's damaged gundam and then sheathed it.  He opened his gundam's cockpit door, walked out on it, looked inside the other gundam's cockpit and saw the woman's limp body lying on the floor.  Her mobile trace system's rings were half destroyed.

          A memory of another tragedy suddenly came to his mind.  It had been almost one year ago, but his memory of the Marseilles Tragedy was as clear as if it had happened yesterday.

          Though he had been chosen as his country's representative in the gundam fight that day, the memory of the flames engulfing the spectators was too much for him to bear.  His hands trembled, his vision went black and he fell out of his gundam, unconscious.


	4. Karla Recovers and Schwarz Vanishes

Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission.  This story gives a bit of background information on Karla.

Shadow Life – Part 4

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          "Master George!" Raymond cried out.  He knelt next to the prone form of George.  At first, it didn't register to him that another gundam had arrived on the scene.  When he looked up, he recognized the masked fighter of Neo-Germany.

          Raymond watched as the gundam's hand extended until it was on an even level with the cockpit of Midnight Gundam.  He then saw Schwarz carefully enter the cockpit of the damaged gundam.  When he emerged, he carried the woman's limp body.

          "Where are you going?" Raymond called.  "Can we help?"

          "I will see to her care!" Schwarz replied sharply as he carried her into his gundam.  "Neo-France has already done more than enough to her."

          Raymond looked down at George's unconscious body and wondered what had happened and why his master had almost killed the Neo-Austria woman.

  
  


          As Schwarz waited for the cockpit door to close behind him, he looked down at Karla.  His eyes roamed over her curvaceous body.  He closed his eyes for a moment trying to get her out of his thoughts.  A quiet moan escaped from her lips as he gently laid her on the floor of his cockpit and he felt the beginnings of – no, he shouldn't feel such things! He chastised himself silently for considering he might be falling for her.  She was beginning to stir.  He fired up the thrusters and took off towards Berlin.

          "What hit me?" muttered Karla.

          "The enemy that you turned your back on," he replied.  "Lie still until we reach our destination."

          Schwarz guided the gundam to the Neo-German facilities and once it was in its place and deactivated, he asked, "Can you sit up?"

          "I think so," said Karla as she gingerly sat up.

          "Good.  Let me help you into my core lander," said Schwarz.  Soon, they were on their way. 

          "Schwarz, where are we going?" asked Karla.

          He pressed a button on the dashboard and replied, "To my place.  My doctor will meet us there.  I think you should let him x-ray your whole body after the last two battles you've been in."

          "But..." protested Karla.

          Schwarz shot her a disapproving look and she shrugged and caved in.  "Okay! I assume that if you trust the doctor then I can too?"

          Schwarz turned a corner and stopped the core lander a moment later.  They had arrived at their destination.  He responded, "As far as your identity, yes.  I've never had to remove my mask in his presence."

          They climbed out of the core lander; Schwarz put his arm around her and slid his hand under her opposite arm to help her walk.  She looked at him gratefully.  The inside of the hangar was dark.  They headed for a door on the far end.

          Karla's eyes grew wide.  "What about my gundam? Someone could come along and steal it or take out my data card and sell it to the highest bidder!"

          Schwarz shook his head.  "I don't think they will.  I would suggest you contact your people and have them go to the spot where it is and remove it for repair.  It may be a few days before you are able to continue in the gundam fight."

          Karla grunted in agreement.  "The damage was that bad, huh?"

          "Yes.  I think you're lucky to be alive," commented Schwarz.  "Besides, here's your data card."

          "You took it?" asked Karla, concerned.

          "Yes, I couldn't transport both you and the gundam here.  I figured that you would want this, so I took it out.  In fact, you're lucky I was able to get it out of the port; it was right next to some completely destroyed parts. I'll hold onto it until the doctor is finished examining you."

          They went through the door, into a hallway and entered the third room on the right.  It contained an examination table, an x-ray machine and shelves filled with various medicines and surgical supplies.  Schwarz indicated for her to lie on the table.  A grizzled man dressed in a white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck and carrying a data pad came into the room a moment later.  He wheeled over a device from the far side of the room, set some kind of program and motioned for Schwarz to follow him.

          "Please lie still as the machine x-rays your body," the doctor said.  After hearing a click indicating that the x-ray program had started, the doctor watched as the image came up on the screen.

          When the program was complete, the doctor said, "Frau Geist, you are a lucky woman.  You have no broken bones.  However, you may be sore for a while."

          "Danke, Herr Doktor," replied Karla.  She stood and winced.

          The doctor began, "If you want, I can..."

          Karla muttered, "No, but if you have some ice packs, I'll be happy to lie down and put them on the sore parts of my body."  To Schwarz, she continued, "Can you please show me where I can rest and then bring the ice packs to me?"  He nodded and indicated for her to follow.

          As they walked down the hall, Karla said, "I'm sorry for putting you to so much trouble, Schwarz."

          Schwarz looked at her with a hint of a smile in his eyes and replied, "It's no trouble at all for a lovely woman such as you."

          Karla blushed beneath her mask.  "Danke.  I just need to rest a while, and then I should be fine.  I need to contact the Neo-Austria people and tell them where my gundam is."

          "You rest.  If you tell me their number, I'll contact them for you.  I know where your gundam is and can give them the coordinates as soon as I get them from my gundam," responded Schwarz.

          "Okay," responded Karla and gave him their number.  "Thanks."

          They turned right at the corner and entered the first room on the left.  She eased herself onto the queen-sized bed and made herself comfortable.  Schwarz left to bring the ice packs.

  
  


          Schwarz listened closely to Karla speaking in her native German.  Her accent and some of the words she spoke with sounded more like the accent and language of Neo-Germany than of Neo-Austria.  He filed this bit of information away with the rest of what he knew about Karla.

          A few minutes later, he returned with the ice packs and some towels to wrap them in.  One at a time, she wrapped them and placed them where she ached.  Schwarz watched as she closed her eyes to rest.  He decided to take a shower and clean himself up.  Opening the closet, he took off his trench coat with the spiked shoulders, hung it up, then took out some nightclothes and a clean half-mask, and closed the closet door.  Rarely did Schwarz feel ill at ease with his decision to hide his identity behind the mask, but he found that he did now.  The more time he spent with Karla, the more he found himself wanting to know her intimately.  Now that she was recovering, he should return to watching Domon in his training.  But he couldn't just do that all the time; he wanted some time to himself.

          Before he went to shower, he remembered that he was to contact the Neo-Austria people.  Schwarz left his bedroom and quickly went to his Spiegel Gundam to get the coordinates that he needed and then headed back inside the building.  He walked down the hall to the room that served as a communications center and went to a console on the far side of the room.  Turning on the console, he input the number that Karla had given him.

          A bleary eyed male face appeared on the screen and asked in German, "Karla, is that you? We've been looking all over for you! Where the hell are you?"

          Schwarz turned on a small desk lamp so his mask was visible.  "No.  This isn't Karla."

          "Who the hell are you? How did you get this number?" the man demanded.  "And where is Karla?"

          "She's resting and recovering from her last two battles, and she gave me this number so I could contact you," replied Schwarz.

          The man's face became pale.  "Where is she?"

          "Karla is near Berlin, I've seen to getting her some medical attention," replied Schwarz.

          The man's voice broke as he asked, "Who the heck are you? You better not try anything with her!"

          Schwarz couldn't believe all the questions he was being asked.  If the man would shut up for a minute, he could tell him why he was calling in the first place.  "I'm Schwarz Bruder, the fighter for Neo-Germany."

          It dawned on the man who he was speaking to.  "Neo-Germany, I demand that you bring her to us immediately!"

          "She is in no condition to travel.  I..." began Schwarz.  It wasn't the truth, but at the moment, he didn't care.

          Another man's face appeared on the screen.  "So, you are Schwarz Bruder of Neo-Germany.  Take off that mask so we can see you properly."

          "No."  Schwarz folded his arms across his chest and thought he recognized the new man now speaking to him.  "I take it you're the Chancellor of Austria?"

          "I prefer the title of President," the man replied calmly as he folded his hands together in front of him on his desk.  "I demand that you return our fighter immediately."

          Schwarz was aggravated when he responded, "As I said before to the other man, Karla is in no condition to travel!"

          "Why are you calling us?" asked the president.

          Closing his eyes and sighing, Schwarz responded, "If you and your man will stop talking long enough, I'll give you the coordinates of your Midnight Gundam.  It's in pretty bad shape and needs to be picked up from its current location by your mechanic."

          "Oh.  Give the man the coordinates," said the president with a nod.  "Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Bruder."

          Before Schwarz could answer, the mechanic's face was back on the screen.  "What are the coordinates?"

          "I'll send them to you now," replied Schwarz as he typed in the information and pressed the enter key to send it.

          The Austrian man nodded once in satisfaction as the information came through.  "Thank you.  Please have Karla contact us as soon as she is able."

          With a silent nod, Schwarz switched off the console.  "Damn bureaucrats!"

          Schwarz stood and headed for his bedroom and the shower.  Once inside the bathroom, he pushed the door closed, removed his clothes and mask, turned on the water, picked up a washcloth and entered the shower.  He stood for a few minutes and allowed the warm water to relax his tired body and his tight shoulder muscles.

  
  


          Fifteen minutes later, Karla removed the ice packs, sat up, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and gingerly stood.  She picked up the towels and the ice packs and took them into the bathroom.  Someone was taking a shower and turned off the water just as she entered the room.

          "Schwarz, if that's you, I'm in the bathroom," warned Karla.  She understood and respected his desire to remain anonymous.  "I put the towels next to the sink and the ice packs in the sink for the time being.  I'm going to lie down again."

          "Thanks, Karla," Schwarz said.  "You can borrow some clothes if you need to.  There're also some half-masks in there if you want to wear one tonight to breathe easier."

          "Okay, thanks.  I will," Karla said.  "I'll change when you're done in there."

          She removed her shoes, went over to the closet, pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants that she would try on, one of the half-masks, and waited for him to leave the bathroom.

  
  


          He heard the sound of the door closing and carefully peeked one eye around the shower curtain.  No one was there.  Schwarz eased open the curtain, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.  He took another towel, dried his hair with it and then decided to use the hairdryer; he wanted to get some sleep yet tonight.  Once that was done, he put on the pajama bottoms and the clean half-mask and left the room.

          Karla looked up when he came out of the bathroom and whistled her appreciation as her eyes roamed over him.  Schwarz felt himself blush beneath his mask, but didn't complain that she was ogling him.  It was the first time in a long time that anyone had seen him not in his usual clothes or his mobile trace suit.  He winked at her as he walked by and then crawled between the sheets.

          "By the way, Karla, this is the only bed here.  Hope you don't mind sharing," Schwarz said.

          "No, I don't mind sharing," she agreed with a grin.  "Did you call the Neo-Austrian people?" inquired Karla to change the subject.

          "Yes.  I think they wanted to believe I kidnapped you.  However, I finally got through their thick heads about the reason I was calling and gave them the coordinates of your gundam.  Hopefully, by the time you return, it will be repaired."

          Karla went into the bathroom, closed the door, and a few minutes later, she came out wearing the half-mask, black pants and shirt from his closet.  He took in her appearance briefly before she turned off the lights and crawled between the sheets.

  
  


          Raymond Bishop covered up George de Sand's shivering body.  The temperature had plummeted to below freezing and the icy winds from the north buffeted the Neo-France transport.  He was concerned for George's well being and decided to remain at his master's bedside throughout the night.  Making himself as comfortable as possible in the chair next to the bed, Raymond closed his eyes.  A few hours later, George's terrified scream shattered his peaceful slumber.

          "Master George!" Raymond exclaimed as he woke and found his master sitting upright in bed.

          "AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" George's body suddenly slumped back to the bed.  His heavy breathing at first concerned Raymond, but that soon passed.

          George blinked and looked around the room, dazed.  "Raymond?" he asked as he slowly sat up.  "Raymond, where are you?"

          "I'm here, Master George.  Is there anything you need?"

          "What happened earlier?" asked George.  "Why did the woman leave?"

          "I...I don't know," admitted Raymond.  "All I know is that you went berserk and tried to kill her."

          "WHAT?!" asked George, incredulous.

          Nodding, Raymond continued, "I'm afraid so, sir.  You were...down and I thought she was going to destroy you.  Then you started swinging your saber at her.  The next thing I knew, she left; you charged after her and skewered her gundam with your saber."

          George's eyes widened in shock and he whispered, "No! How could I have done this?"

          "You didn't stop there.  You pummeled Midnight Gundam with your fists," continued Raymond.

          "And?" asked George.

          "When the dust settled, Midnight Gundam was down for the count and Shadow Gundam was there.  Its pilot took the woman to get her some medical attention."

          "Didn't you offer our help?" inquired George.

          "Yes, but apparently he witnessed everything that happened and must have thought that it was wiser to get her away from you, Master George.  The German's comment to me was tendered in an acidic tone of voice."

          George looked down at his shaking hands, closed his eyes and when he opened them again, Raymond was standing there as though he waited for an answer.  "I...I'm sorry.  I hope she recovers."  He looked down dejectedly at the Shuffle crest on his right hand and whispered, "I am not worthy of this crest."

  
  


          When Karla awoke the next morning, she felt a hand resting on her stomach.  Looking next to her, Schwarz slept on.  She placed her hand on his, felt its warmth as she lightly stroked it and slowly dozed off again.

          _What is it that draws me to Schwarz?_ wondered Karla.  _For that matter, why has he been so protective of me?_ She appreciated the attention he was giving her, but wondered how wise it was to even consider having a relationship with him.

          Karla decided not to worry about it.  What could they do to her if she had strong feelings towards Schwarz? Her personal life was none of their business.

          Schwarz moved his hand off her, sighed softly in his sleep and rolled over on top of her.  His eyes opened in sleepy surprise before he remembered that he shared his bed.

          For a moment neither of them moved.  They looked into each other's eyes.  Karla relaxed.  Schwarz moved off her to lie next to her.  Karla lightly touched his fairly hairless chest.

          She thought it was interesting that two masked people wanted to be intimate with each other, but neither of them wanted to reveal their faces beneath the masks.  For the moment, none of that mattered, their lips met and parted.  Their first kiss was tender; the second was filled with passion.  Something passed between them, an understanding, and a mutual need.

          Karla reached around and allowed her hands to rest on Schwarz's lower back as he moved back on top of her and one of her legs wrapped around his thigh.  She felt his hands slide up beneath her shirt as he kissed her again and moaned into his mouth as he gently fondled her breasts.

          When she woke a short while later, Karla found Schwarz's hand still on her stomach and realized that she'd dreamt the whole thing.  She looked over at him, saw he was awake and began, "Schwarz, I...I want to tell you how I came to be a gundam fighter."

          Schwarz looked at her and replied, "Okay."

          Karla had never intended to tell anyone about what happened to her, but felt she could tell Schwarz without fear of recrimination.  She began, "I have been utterly humiliated by my ex-boyfriend Claus, who is now in prison in Neo-Austria for his part in stealing the prototype technical schematics for your Spiegel Gundam from Neo-Germany."

          Schwarz's sharp intake of breath betrayed his surprise at this revelation.  Karla continued, "I missed Claus, and visited him in prison on Neo-Austria.  Shortly afterwards, I was arrested as his accomplice in the conspiracy."

          Karla's head drooped in shame as she continued, "I...I was given a choice, to spend my life in prison or fight in the gundam fight for Neo-Austria."

          Schwarz took in all that she said and compared it to what little he knew of the event.

          "Since I had recently completed my training, I chose the latter.  Because of my family's standing, I chose to wear a mask to hide my identity.  My father told me that all records of my existence would be erased.  If by some miracle I survived the gundam fight, then he said he might reconsider his stance on that position.  The worst part about this whole incident is that I'm innocent!"

          By now, Karla's voice was breaking with her tremendous emotion.  Schwarz gently pulled her close and she sobbed into his shoulder.  His voice was soft as he said, "You're literally fighting for your life."

          She nodded as her sobs abated.  "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to get so emotional.  You're the first one I've ever told about why I'm here."

          "If you ever need anything, I'll be there for you," said Schwarz as he lightly stroked her arm.

          "You already have been there when I needed you and it means a lot to me," responded Karla.

          Schwarz leaned over and kissed her on the cheek in the way a brother would kiss his sister.  He then got out of bed, pulled some clothes from the closet as well as a clean mask and went into the bathroom to change.  While he was in there, he heard her rummage around in the closet and changing clothes as well.

          As he finished, Schwarz realized that Karla had bared a part of her soul to him.  He wondered if her revelation to him would allow her to be less distracted in her next fight.  He hoped so as he wanted to fight her in a one on one battle.

          Karla interrupted his train of thought, "I'm dressed.  I guess I'd better leave, they'll be expecting me there soon."

          "No, they aren't," said Schwarz as he came out of the bathroom.  "I told them that you weren't fit for travel."

          Karla's face lit up with a mischievous smile.  "Do you mind if I train for a while?"

          "Be my guest.  I usually train in either the room at the end of the hall or outside," replied Schwarz.

          She turned and headed for the room at the end of the hall.  Schwarz followed her as far as the communications room.  He then entered and found that he had a message waiting.  Bringing it up on the screen, he found the Neo-German chancellor wanted him to report to his estate here on Earth.  He wondered why as he pulled off the half-mask, combed his fingers through his tousled brown hair a few times and then pulled on the clean mask.

          Someone knocked at the front door.  Schwarz stood and went to answer it.

          When Schwarz turned the doorknob, several men wearing uniforms of the Neo-German government burst inside and grabbed him.

          "What is going on? Who are you?" demanded Schwarz loudly.  He hoped Karla heard him and stayed out of sight.

  
  


          Karla was walking down the hallway towards the bedroom as she'd forgotten a towel and heard the commotion.  She made her way silently towards the front door.  As she got closer, she made herself invisible in the shadows.

          She watched as the intruders secured Schwarz's arms and legs with shackles.  The leader said, "You bring his gundam.  We're to leave no evidence behind."

          Karla turned and headed for the hangar and Shadow Gundam.


	5. Karla Rescues Schwarz from Neo Austria

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 5

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          In a dungeon-like cell somewhere below ground, two men waited patiently for their prisoner to awaken.  They were to detain him long enough for their fighter to return, collect her gundam and then leave again.  The orders from above were that she shouldn't have any more interactions with this man from Neo-Germany.

          Claus watched from within the shadows.  He wondered why they'd not found Karla at this guy's place.  Then he remembered about her ninjitsu training.  Of course they weren't going to find her.  If she doesn't want to be found, then she'll vanish as surely as the sun will rise.

          His smug smile was invisible in the darkness, but he remembered his part in the scheme to embarrass her native country and why his superiors had asked him to do what he'd done.  She was stuck in the middle, an innocent bystander.  He remembered how she smelled and tasted; her soft, lithe body beneath his and how his superiors had filmed them making out that last night before he was 'arrested'.  He had no regrets about any of it as doing what they'd asked had gotten him to where he was today as the Neo-Austria President's confidential aide.

  
  


          When Schwarz woke, he found himself chained to a wall.  Someone off to his left said, "He's awake."

          "Good.  We need to keep him away from Karla.  She will do much better in the gundam fight without him around to bother her.  You may leave now."  The other person left.

          "Who are you?" croaked Schwarz.

          There was just enough light for Schwarz to see the muscular man smile.  "I am Claus Stromberg.  Karla's boyfriend."

          "You mean ex-boyfriend," said Schwarz.  It dawned on him then what this man had said.  "Wait a minute! You're supposed to be in prison on Neo-Austria!"

          Claus snorted.  "I'm supposed to be a lot of things.  However, a prisoner of my nation isn't one of them."

          "You SCUM!!" shouted Schwarz.

          Claus backhanded him for that outburst.  A wicked grin came over his face as he asked, "Are you saying that you've taken Karla for yourself? You fool!! She would never give herself to such an obvious weakling runt like you! She is a viper and will stab you in the back."

          "Then how come you're still calling yourself her boyfriend?" inquired Schwarz.  When Claus said nothing, he realized that he'd hit the mark with his last remark.  Schwarz smiled beneath his mask and chuckled softly.  _That got him!_ he thought. To Claus, he said, "I'm stronger than I look."

          Another backhand from Claus sent his senses reeling.  Closing his eyes, Schwarz thought, _This guy's a piece of work.  He's a bully, plain and simple.  I don't know what Karla ever saw in this pathetic excuse for a human being._

Given his own current physical state, he saw the irony in his thought.  He knew that he could never have any kind of physical relationship with her, no matter what.  In his off-handed comment about Karla, this muscle-bound lame brain had reminded him of the humanity that wasn't truly his anymore.

          _As much as I care about Karla, I cannot love her physically.  My mission is to protect Domon and help him to achieve his goal, to destroy the Dark Gundam.  _There was sadness in his soul when he silently finished, _I will help Karla and Domon achieve their full potential and destroy the Dark Gundam!!_

          Opening his eyes to face Claus, Schwarz stared defiantly at his captor.  "Why am I being held captive?" He pulled at his bonds to no avail.

          "I'm asking the questions, runt!" muttered Claus angrily.  "Why are you showing such an interest in Karla?"

          "That's none of your business!" retorted Schwarz.

          "Wrong answer!" snarled Claus.

          This time, Claus' hand firmly grasped his jaw and slammed his head into the steel wall he was chained to several times.  The pain shot through his head and Schwarz was grateful when he lost consciousness.  His body hung limply from the shackles.

  
  


          Karla hid amongst the shadows of the Neo-German hangar and considered the options remaining open to her.  The prospects were bleak.  They had gotten to Shadow Gundam before she could and secured it so she couldn't approach.  She then remembered the small tracking device that she had left in Schwarz's core lander before she'd gone running off in a huff after the Neo-German chancellor had called to speak to Schwarz.

          She decided to return to the Neo-Austria base, collect her gundam, and find Schwarz.  Until these barbarians left, she remained hidden.  After that, she borrowed another change of clothes and a few ninja weapons before leaving with a car.  _I'll borrow this Neo-Germany vehicle until I can get reasonably close to the base and then I'll continue on foot._

          As Karla made her way to Berlin, she considered her situation.  She was a pawn of the Neo-Austria government against the nation of her birth and didn't like it one bit.  She remembered how they had come for her at her hotel after she'd visited Claus in prison and arrested her.  Somehow, they knew of her training and decided to test her against their nation's gundam fighter.  She hurt him so badly, that he was unable to fight and they then issued their ultimatum to her - fight for Neo-Austria in the gundam fight or spend her life in prison for espionage.  As far as she knew, it wasn't legal for someone to fight in the gundam fight for a nation that wasn't theirs, but as she saw it, she had no choice but to accept.

          The fact that her own father had allowed the vultures of Neo-Austria to take her without even trying to stop them galled her to no end.  She felt the anger of his betrayal and the pain in her soul from her separation from Claus.  As a wry smile crossed her face, she realized that it was now less of a burden than it had previously been.  It had helped that she told Schwarz about some of her past.  Why was she in the gundam fight? The answer was obvious, to clear her name and regain her life.

          _Schwarz! Who kidnapped you and why? she thought.  She remembered her dream from last night and sighed romantically.  The last night she'd spent with Claus was a month before the gundam fight started and the night before he was arrested.  Since then, she'd slept with no one and then she met Schwarz.  If he'd noticed her awkwardness when she first woke this morning, then he said nothing about it.  Fantasizing about sleeping with a man wasn't her style, but she felt a pang of loneliness within herself._

          Karla shook her head in amazement as she at the direction her thoughts were taking as she remembered where she was.  She couldn't afford to entertain such notions if she was going to reach her full potential.  After ditching the car several blocks away from the Neo-Austria base, she was making good time at her fast walking pace even though it was almost dark.  As she approached the base a few minutes later, it started to rain and she hurried.  At the gate, she was met by one of the guards.

          "Where have you been?" he asked as he recognized her mask.

          "Out," snapped Karla.

          "Humph! Well hello to you too! By the way, our nation's president wants to see you."

          This stopped Karla in her tracks.  "Why does he want to see me?"

          The guard shrugged.  "I don't know."

          Karla wondered why the President wanted to see her and continued inside the gate.

          "He's in the main building!" the guard called.

          Without turning, she waved to indicate that she heard and headed for the main building.  She went inside her transport briefly to get her sword and drop off the other things she had brought with her from Schwarz's.  When she entered the main building, the man who served as her mechanic was sitting there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

          "It seems that I am to be replaced.  I was just informed," he said.

          "As you recall, I was going to ask for that.  You're a good mechanic, but after I found some surveillance equipment hidden in my quarters, I felt as though you couldn't be trusted anymore," responded Karla.

          The man's jaw dropped in shock as he protested, "I was ordered to put it in!"

          "Yeah, right.  All you wanted was to ogle me when I showered or changed clothes.  I know exactly what you wanted.  I'm not your woman," said Karla angrily.

          "Well, you'll be happy to know that the man who is replacing me is moving into the transport as we speak.  Maybe he'll have better luck with you than I did.  He might be the same or worse than I was!"

          Shrugging, Karla replied, "You'll never know."

          Karla stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for the penthouse, the doors closed and the car moved upwards.  At the top floor, the car stopped, the doors opened, and she walked into the penthouse used by the president of Neo-Austria.  There were bodyguards present in the shadows as she heard several guns being cocked.  They knew of her background and undoubtedly didn't like seeing her sword strapped across her back as she entered the room with the President.

          The President of Neo-Austria greeted her the way that most politicians do, with a false warm smile and an extended hand.  "Ah, Karla, you made it back safely! I have been keeping track of your battles and I must say that I am impressed."

          Karla didn't shake his hand.  Politicians made her stomach churn, especially this one.  Removing the katana, she crossed the elegantly furnished room and sat in one of the plush chairs.  She crossed her legs, placed the katana across her lap, touched the tips of her fingers together and replied politely, "Danke, Herr President."

          The President clasped his hands behind his back.  "I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here."

          With an exasperated sigh, she answered, "The thought did cross my mind.  How about you tell me so I can get the hell out of here?"

          "Direct and to the point, I see," said the President.  "You are being assigned a new mechanic because the man we had chosen just isn't working out like we hoped."

          "You mean that I've found out that he's been spying on me and now you're giving someone else a chance to do the same?" retorted Karla.

          The President frowned and said, "No, you might like this one.  He's from Neo-Germany, but from what I understand, he is a sound gundam mechanic."  Pressing a button on his intercom, he said into the speaker, "Send him in."

          The door to the office opened, and Karla watched as an attractive man in his late twenties with dark, shoulder-length hair walked through the door.  He was dressed in black pants, white shirt and a black jacket over it.

          The President said, "This is the fighter you'll be working with, her name is Karla Geist."

          The man turned and extended his hand in greeting, "My name is Niklas Bruder."

          Karla gaped at him and her pulse quickened.  She recovered her wits after a moment, picked up her katana in her left hand, stood, took his hand in her right hand and politely replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

          "Likewise," Niklas said.

          Karla gazed into his dark eyes and found them to be warm.  She realized that she was staring at him.  Karla then turned to the President and her eyes narrowed as she said, "So you decided to try a different tack.  I'm surprised that you would consider allowing a non-Austrian to work on your precious gundam."

          The President scowled at her.  "I'm doing this to placate you.  I would rather have Austrians in all posts relating to the gundam."

          "How well I know," replied Karla bitterly.

          The President's tone was low and even when he said, "You may leave.  By the way, you now will be using Midnight Gundam Mk II.  Niklas has been informed of all its capabilities and will brief you."

          Karla's lips pursed into a straight line, she nodded once in acknowledgement, turned and strode out of the office.  Niklas followed her.

          "I don't know why you've got such a chip on your shoulder," Niklas began as the elevator doors closed behind them.

          Karla muttered, "You don't know a thing about me!"

          "No, but I'd like it if you would talk to me civilly," said Niklas.

          Several minutes later, they left the elevator, then the building and walked to the transport.  After closing the door, Karla said, "You've got nerve.  Why should I trust you?"

          "I could ask you the same question.  You're just like my father with his mask and indifferent attitude!" replied Niklas sharply.

          "I wear my mask for completely different reasons than Schwarz."  Realizing what he'd said, she whirled to face him and asked, "Your father? You mean that Schwarz Bruder is your father?"

          "Yes," replied Niklas with a shrug.  "The man who is his doctor contacted me when he returned to his place.  He also told me about you."

          "How do I know you're telling the truth?" inquired Karla.  "Nothing is known about Schwarz or his past."

          Niklas replied, "I know that you and my father went to the same ninjutsu school in Neo-Germany.  The President said that much about you when he accepted me for this job."

          Niklas saw that she wasn't convinced and went over to where a bag sat on the table, unzipped it and began rummaging around inside it.  "I also have this," he began and then pulled a sheathed katana from the bag, turned and showed it to her.  "My father gave it to me before leaving for the gundam fight.  In case something happened to him."

          Karla crossed the room to examine the item he held.  She recognized it as the katana that was given to those who had gone through the same ninjitsu school as she and Schwarz had.  Her expression softened as she looked at Niklas again.  "This is real," she whispered as she handed it back to him.

          This changed things drastically for Karla.  Niklas apparently trusted her enough to confide in her about his father.  Something within her wanted to believe that he was sincere; perhaps she just cared too much.  She said, "Your father was kidnapped from his place not very far from here."

          "What?" Niklas' eyes grew wide with concern.

          Karla nodded.  "I'm not sure why or who, but they took him and his gundam.  If we get my gundam loaded, I can perhaps track the location of his gundam."

          "How?" asked Niklas.

          Grinning, she replied, "I planted one tracer inside his core lander and a second inside his coat pocket without his knowledge."  Niklas returned her grin.  She thought, _This guy might not be so bad after all!_

  
  


          Once Midnight Gundam Mk II was secured on the transport, Karla turned on a terminal and executed a program that would search for the tracer that she left in Shadow Gundam.  It gave the coordinates and when she pulled up a map, she found that Shadow Gundam was right beneath them!

          "I can't believe this!" Karla exclaimed.

          Niklas came over and looked over her shoulder.  "What is it?"

          She indicated the screen where there were two flashing lights.  "Shadow Gundam is in a hangar directly beneath us! This other one must be where Schwarz is being held."

          "What can we do?" asked Niklas.

          Karla considered for a moment and then pulled up the base schematics.  The repair hangar was beneath them and accessed via the lift in the main hangar.  Until they got Midnight Gundam out of there, they couldn't get to Shadow Gundam.

          "I want you to meet me at Schwarz's place.  I assume you know where it is," said Karla.

          Niklas nodded.  "And from there, we'll leave and continue in the gundam fight?"

          "Yes.  I'm going to look around the lower levels and see whether they're holding Schwarz captive here."

          "Why are you going back for him?" asked Niklas.

          "I don't want to see him harmed because of these nitwits.  Besides, he and I must fight someday," replied Karla.

          One of Niklas' eyebrows rose in disbelief and he folded his arms across his chest.

          Shrugging, Karla said, "Okay, okay.  I don't want to see the Neo-Austrian government get the better of him because I didn't go back for him."

          "He wouldn't allow that," commented Niklas.

          Karla finished, "You're probably right, but he might be in a position such that he can't get out of here alone.  He's helped me a couple of times and I feel that I owe him."

          "Good luck," Niklas said.

          "Thanks, Niklas," replied Karla.  She felt at ease with Niklas already and it felt good to feel like she could trust someone again.  She fervently hoped that her trust wasn't misplaced.

  
  


          Karla went into her quarters, opened a closet and pulled out her black mask and some additional tools she might need to get to Shadow Gundam.  According to the tracer signals, Schwarz was nearby too.  As she put on the black mask, she pulled up the schematics on the computer again.  The second signal wasn't as strong as the other one.  She knew there were other levels deeper below and assumed that was where he was hidden.

          The transporter's engines started and Karla jumped off just as the vehicle left the Neo-Austria hangar.  She ran over to a door that led below and quickly went through it and down the steps.

          This part of the base was not used frequently.  As she recalled, she had been told it was mainly for replacement part storage.  She put on her infrared goggles and pulled out a small light, which was covered with an opaque infrared filter.  The only thing that others might see is a dull dark red light, if they saw anything at all.

          Continuing down to the very bottom, Karla found various doors which when she opened them, the rooms beyond did indeed contain spare gundam parts.  At the bottom, she found a truly old door with a skull and crossbones symbol on it.

          Karla shivered inwardly and thought,_ Seeing a symbol of death isn't good! She swallowed nervously and pushed some other disquieting thoughts out of her mind.  She tried to open the door, but found it locked.  Pulling out her small tool kit, she removed the tools that would pick the lock.  A few minutes later, a click echoed in the darkness._

          With a grim determination, she opened the door and went through into the darkness beyond.  As she came to the first intersection, there were lights and this area was clearly used.  _What is going on here?_ she wondered as she pushed her infrared goggles up onto her forehead.

          A man walked by and Karla silently followed him after making sure that he was alone.  He went to an area that looked more like a prison than anything that was gundam related.  The lights were dimmer and she was able to continue after him until he reached a well-lit area where there was a security guard.

          She watched as the man went through a door on the far side of the room.  Frowning, she thought, _I can't lose him!_ In a flash, she was gone.  The next minute, she materialized beyond the door briefly before becoming invisible again.

          In front of her, the man said, "I'm here to see the prisoner."  The guard on that door unlocked it and allowed him to enter.  After the door was closed again, Karla materialized in front of the guard.  With a single strike, she knocked the guard unconscious.  She moved him to the shadows and bound and gagged him.

          Taking the guard's keys, Karla hid in the shadows until the man she had followed left the cell.  She then silently entered.  She could just make out Schwarz's form shackled to the wall in the dim light of the cell.

          Karla crossed to him and quickly unlocked the shackles.  "Can you walk?"

          Schwarz replied, "Yes."

          "Good, let's get out of here," said Karla.

          Soon, they were making their way up the stairs toward where Shadow Gundam was located.  A few minutes later, as Karla climbed into the cockpit, the alarm klaxons sounded.

  
  


          In a darkened room far above, Claus watched the security cameras.  "Well, well, well.  What have we here? An intruder has gone down below to rescue that German fighter," he muttered as he flipped another switch.  The picture on the screen now showed the inside of the cell his underling had just locked a few minutes before.  It was empty.

          "WHAT? How can this be?!?" Claus shouted to the air.  He balled his fist and slammed it down onto the alarm button.  The klaxons began blaring and troops were running everywhere in response to the alarm.

          He activated all of the screens and soon found the object of his search.  Schwarz Bruder was climbing into his gundam.

          Claus grabbed a microphone, flipped on the PA system's power and commanded, "Stop that gundam!!"

  
  


          "Where to now?" Schwarz asked as he burst through the hangar and made his gundam invisible.

          "We'll return to your place and I'll leave.  My new mechanic is meeting me there with Midnight Gundam and our transport," replied Karla.

          When they arrived at his place, he would quickly gather what he needed.  Schwarz said, "I'm going to the Guiana Highlands, in South America.  I'd like you to help me get the other members of the Shuffle Alliance there and then come yourself.  They need to train in order to defeat the Dark Gundam.  I've already gotten Domon Kasshu and Chibodee Crockett headed there."

          "Why?" asked Karla.

          "So I can help both you and Domon train.  We need to have peaceful surroundings.  He and Rain have gone there already."

          Karla considered this.  "We have a little less than two months before the final tournament in Neo-Hong Kong is scheduled to begin.  Is that going to be sufficient time?"

          Schwarz was silent for some time as they flew.  When he finally answered her, he said, "Yes.  It will have to do."  Changing the subject, he continued, "Karla, why did you come after me?"

          Karla looked at him.  "I came because I felt that I owed you for helping me."

          "But how did you find me?" inquired Schwarz.

          "When they took you, one of them ordered that your gundam be taken so as not to leave any evidence behind.  They put it on a transporter and took it away.  I had previously put a tracer inside your core lander and inside your coat pocket," replied Karla with a wink.

          "You sneaky devil!" commented Schwarz.

          "Be glad I did, or else you'd still be in there," responded Karla.

          Schwarz nodded.  "I am.  Thanks for coming after me."


	6. Black Joker Battle Midnight Gundam vs B

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 6

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          When Shadow Gundam approached the place that Schwarz called home on Earth, he saw the transport vehicle parked outside and landed next to it.  He looked around before opening the cockpit door.  It was the middle of the night and rather eerie.

          "I assume that's your transport vehicle?" asked Schwarz.

          "Yes," replied Karla.  "Before we part ways, will you tell me who am I looking for?"

            "If I can borrow your computer, I'll show you.  The Shuffle Alliance is made up of five members," began Schwarz as they jumped down and headed for the transport.

          Schwarz followed as Karla led him inside and to a dimly lit room where there was a terminal.  She turned it on and opened the gundam fight information database.  He typed in a search request by country of origin in the fighter database, pressed the enter key and the faces of five males appeared on the screen.  "There is one fighter from each of the following nations:  Neo-America, Neo-France, Neo-Russia, Neo-China and Neo-Japan."

          "Okay.  Are you certain about George de Sand after what happened to me?" asked Karla apprehensively as she recognized the Frenchman.

          "Yes," replied Schwarz.  He looked into her eyes for a moment before continuing, "I want you to concentrate on the fighters from Neo-Russia and Neo-France.  I'll take care of Neo-China."

          Karla pressed a button that brought the information about these two fighters and their gundams up on the screen one at a time.  She looked at Neo-Russia's Bolt Gundam first.  After reading about its mode of attack, she pulled up the picture of the pilot.

          With a sharp intake of breath, Karla glanced at him and exclaimed, "This one was a space pirate?!"

          "He is a fierce fighter and you cannot underestimate him.  His goal is to win the gundam fight and freedom for himself and his fellow pirate crewmembers," commented Schwarz.

          A soft chuckle came from behind them.  Karla and Schwarz turned towards the sound.  "I see you're still as practical as ever, father."

          "What?!?" whispered Schwarz, incredulous as he turned to face the newcomer.

          Niklas came to stand next to Karla.  "Yes.  You do remember me, your son Niklas, don't you? I'm Karla's mechanic."

          "Of course, I remember."  Schwarz replied, though he backed away from the light given off by the monitor.  _Mein Gott! Niklas!_

  
  


          Karla noticed Schwarz's odd reaction and wondered what had caused this.  Was it Niklas' sudden appearance? She tucked this tidbit into the back of her mind for later.  For the moment, she sat in the chair and focused her attention back to the computer and began searching for Bolt Gundam's whereabouts.

          A hand touched her shoulder.  Karla looked and saw Schwarz's mask as he leaned close to her.  She asked, "Do you need something, Schwarz?"

          "No," replied Schwarz.  "I just wanted to tell you good-bye, Karla.  I will see you in the Guiana Highlands.  Find my gundam the same way you did before.  Good-bye, Niklas."  Schwarz stood and held out his hand to Niklas.

          Niklas firmly shook his father's hand.  "It's good to see you again.  I was afraid you were gone after we hadn't heard from you in so long."

          Schwarz chuckled and replaced his hand on Karla's shoulder.  "I won't die that easily."

          Karla placed her hand on his and replied quietly, "Until the Guiana Highlands, then.  Auf Wiedersehen, Schwarz."  With that, he turned and left.

          Karla suddenly felt alone until Niklas came over and placed his hand where Schwarz's had been.  Her hand moved to rest atop his.

          "You care about him, don't you?" asked Niklas.

          "Yes," whispered Karla.  "I've striven to emulate him in his mastery of our school's techniques and skills.  I think I have a long way to go in that regard.  But I care about him a lot and something tells me that we could never be lovers, no matter what romantic notions I may have to the contrary."

          "And why do you think that?" asked Niklas as his other hand reached over and touched her opposite shoulder.

          Karla felt herself trembling.  "I...I...don't know.  I just have a feeling.  Call it intuition.  I guess I just miss having someone nearby that I can trust."

          Niklas leaned close and replied softly, "You can trust me."

          She looked at him and whispered, "Please...hold me!" As she stood, Niklas' arms encircled her; he pulled her close and Karla broke down into tears.

  
  


          Outside, Schwarz listened to Karla and Niklas briefly before silently making his way back to his gundam.  He thought, _One of Karla's barriers is coming down.  She is learning to trust again after being betrayed.  She will gain strength from it and from Niklas, though she doesn't realize it yet.  Schwarz disappeared and reappeared inside his gundam's cockpit.  A moment later, he was on his way to find Dragon Gundam._

  
  


          "According to this information, the Bolt Gundam was last seen heading northwest out of Shinjuku and heading towards Neo-Russia," said Niklas.

          Karla nodded.  "Let's head that way.  On the way there, you can tell me about this new Midnight Gundam's weapons, capabilities and improvements."

          Later the next day, as they approached the western slopes of the Ural Mountains, Karla and Niklas witnessed a battle between Neo-Russia's Bolt Gundam and Neo-Afghanistan's Desert Raider Gundam.  They stopped the transport to watch from a distance.

          Karla watched the fighters fight as Niklas pulled up the information about Neo-Russia's gundam.  Bolt Gundam began spinning its hammer weapon over its head.  His opponent was stirring up a sandstorm by racing around him.

  
  


          "Graviton Hammer!" shouted Argo Gulskii.  The ball from the left shoulder of Bolt Gundam ejected from its place and flew into the air.  A laser chain materialized from a grip in the gundam's hand, streaked through the air and attached to it a moment later.  Argo began spinning the hammer weapon over his head.

          "You filthy Russian scum, I'll claim your head today!" the pilot of Desert Raider Gundam shouted.

          Argo grunted in reply as he focused on that one spot, that one instant in time, when his hammer would make contact with his opponent.  He let his hammer fly and it struck down Desert Raider Gundam.

          As Argo approached, the pilot of Desert Raider Gundam tried one last time to get up.  Argo reached down, took his opponent's head in both hands, and with a quick twist, removed it.  Desert Raider Gundam's body crashed to the ground.

          Inside Bolt Gundam's cockpit, Argo relaxed and tried to catch his breath.  Then his screen lit up with Nastasha's face.

          "Argo! We have spotted another gundam in the area! I order you to go over there and challenge them!"

          Bolt Gundam's head turned until Argo spied the distant observers.  He magnified the image until he was able to see the masked person standing atop the transport.

          Grunting, Argo said, "Humph! It's only Neo-Austria's gundam.  I should be able to take care of this one easily enough."

  
  


          As the Russians approached, Niklas was doing a final diagnostic on Midnight Gundam when suddenly, his screen lit up like a Christmas tree.  "Damn it!" he swore.

          Karla looked out from the cockpit.  "What is it, Niklas?"

          "There's a major system failure here.  It just showed up on the diagnostic."

          She walked over to where he stood on the platform outside the cockpit.  Her brow furrowed in frustration as she asked, "It just showed up? Where's the fault?"

          He looked at the screen and after pressing a few buttons, found that the fault was in the data card that had been inserted by the Neo-Austrians.  "It's something to do with the data card.  Remove the one that's in there."

          Karla went back inside, opened the panel where the data card was and pulled out the one that was in the slot.  Turning it over in her hands, she realized it wasn't like the one that came from the damaged Midnight Gundam, but it seemed to be a dummy.

          She poked her head out of the cockpit and said, "I've removed the card.  Run another diagnostic."

          A few minutes later, Niklas called out, "That must have been the problem, as now the system reads okay except for no data card being installed.  Do you have your other card?"

          "Yes, but what about this one? Can you analyze the system first and ensure that there are no viruses present?" asked Karla.

          "Of course," Niklas replied and executed a virus-checking program.  He watched as the program's readout came up on the screen.  It indicated that there was a virus present in the system.  "Karla! Don't put your data card into the gundam.  There is a virus present.  The anti-virus program is evaluating and cleaning your systems!"

          "Let me know when it's finished!" she called out.

          Karla watched intently as the Russians got ever closer.  _How did this virus infected data card get in my gundam?_ She looked at Niklas and saw how outwardly calm he looked despite the circumstances.  _Could he have planted it or does someone in the Neo-Austrian government want me to fail?_

          "Okay, Karla, your system is clean.  Try inserting your data card now," Niklas said.

          Karla did and Niklas analyzed the readings.  "How's it look?" she asked.

          A smile came over Niklas' face as he reported, "It's one hundred percent."

          "Good, because the Russians are here," said Karla.  She watched as a dark haired woman in a dark uniform came striding out of the Russian transport and headed for them.  The woman had a riding crop in her hand that she slapped impatiently in her other hand.

  
  


          "You up there!" Nastasha called.  The masked woman jumped down and approached her.

          "Yes?" the woman asked.

          "So, you're the fighter from Neo-Austria, Karla Geist," Nastasha commented.  Her gaze wandered over the woman in front of her.  "You don't look like much."

          "Well excuse me for not being some muscle bound freak!" Karla said flatly as she folded her arms across her chest.

          "Argo!" Nastasha called.  Argo Gulskii came and stood next to her.  "This is your opponent, Karla Geist.  Crush her now; don't worry about a gundam fight."

          Argo moved his arms and a blue laser chain appeared between his arms.  He towered more than a foot over his opponent and Karla did not seem to be intimidated when he stepped toward her.  Her gaze was steady as it met his.

          Karla commented, "At least we don't chain our fighters."

  
  


          An angry shout came from Argo as he pulled back and threw a punch at Karla.  She caught his punch in one hand.  _He's powerful!_ thought Karla.  _His blow stung my hand, but I can't let on that it hurt me! The look of utter surprise on both Nastasha and Argo's faces was worth enduring the pain from his punch._

          "I think this will best be settled in a gundam fight," said Karla.  She stepped back and snapped her fingers and Midnight Gundam came to life.  Argo returned to where Bolt Gundam stood, entered its cockpit and waited for battle.

          "Gundam fight, standby!" exclaimed Argo.

          "Ready!" shouted Karla.

          "GO!!!" finished Argo.  He charged towards Karla.

          As she charged, Karla watched Argo's movements.  The next instant, her hands were locked with his.  She changed tack and shifted her weight enough that she could gain leverage and throw Argo.

          Bolt Gundam flew through the air and threw up a large dust cloud as it struck the ground a short distance away.

          Karla charged as Argo stood and at the last moment, she jumped into the air.  She extended one leg towards him and as she landed, began stepping rapidly on his face.  Bolt Gundam stumbled and fell backwards under this attack.

          "Argo!" Nastasha commanded.  The next instant, she inhaled sharply.  "No!"

          "Shall we call this match a draw or shall I take your gundam's head?" asked Karla.  She had her two midnight swords crisscrossed over Bolt Gundam's neck and his arms and torso pinned by the weight of her gundam as it sat on him.

          Argo closed his eyes for a moment.  The battle was hers; she could take his head anytime she wanted to and he knew it.  Shaking his head, he replied, "All right, Karla.  This match is a draw."

          Karla stood and moved back so Argo could stand.  Now all she had to do was convince him to go to the Guiana Highlands.  Before the Russians left, Karla opened the cockpit door, jumped down, and headed for Bolt Gundam.

          Argo stood at his gundam's feet and watched as his opponent approached.  When she stood in front of him, the guards cocked their weapons, pointed their guns at her and he asked, "Do you have a death wish?"

          "No.  I am here for a different reason," replied Karla.

          "Oh, so defeating me wasn't enough, now you're going to humiliate me?" asked Argo as he turned away from her.

          "Get away from him!" Nastasha ordered.

          Karla ignored her.  "Argo, I believe that if you are going to assist the Shuffle Alliance in defeating the Dark Gundam, you will need to train and fight much harder than you have been."

          Argo turned to face her and a frown came over his face.  "What do you know of the Dark Gundam?" he demanded.

          Karla folded her arms across her chest.  "I know enough to realize that in its current state, the Shuffle Alliance has no chance to win against the Dark Gundam."

          "What should I do?" asked Argo.

          "You will get into the transport so we can leave!" barked Nastasha.

          Karla glared at Nastasha before continuing, "You should go to the Guiana Highlands in South America.  There you will find what you need to defeat the Dark Gundam."

          Argo nodded once before asking, "But what...?" Karla turned and headed back to her own transport without looking back.  Argo pondered her last words to him.

          When she entered her transport, Niklas was leaning against the wall next to the door and asked, "Well? What happened?"

          "Argo Gulskii will make his way to the Guiana Highlands," replied Karla.

          "Are you certain?" asked Niklas.

          Karla shrugged.  "As certain as I can be without following him there."  She continued down the hall to her quarters.  "I'm going to shower and clean myself up.  When you're ready, we can continue searching for Gundam Rose."

          After she closed the door to her quarters, Karla quickly searched her room and the adjacent bathroom for surveillance devices and found none.  She heaved a sigh of relief and pulled off her mask and started removing her mobile trace suit.  A few minutes later, she was in the bathroom and adjusting the water temperature in the shower.  When it was to her liking, she stepped inside with a washcloth, shampoo and some soap.

          As Karla allowed the water to wash away the dirt of the day, her muscles loosened and relaxed.  Her mind drifted to the virus Niklas had found in her gundam.  _Surely he wouldn't have put it there himself! she thought as she shampooed her hair, rinsed it and quickly finished in the shower.  When she stepped out, she toweled herself dry, pulled on a black terrycloth robe and brushed her hair.  She walked into the bedroom and lay on the bed to try and rest while she could._

  
  


          The next morning, Karla crawled from her bed and dressed.  She pulled on some navy blue pants and a light blue shirt as well as her mask.  When she walked to the computer room, she found Niklas already there.

          "You're up early," commented Karla.

          Niklas shook his head.  "Have you looked at the clock yet? You're up late."

          Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked at the clock on the wall.  It was almost noon.  "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" she demanded.

          "Well, I figured that you needed the sleep and we've only just arrived in the town where George de Sand is supposed to be.  Besides, you didn't want me to come in there and see you either without your mask or your clothes on, did you?" asked Niklas with a wink.

          Karla laughed.  It was the first good laugh she'd enjoyed in a while.  "Okay, you win! I was tired, that's all."

          Niklas shrugged nonchalantly.  "I decided to conveniently forget where that button that remotely sets off your alarm clock was."

          "I appreciate it, Niklas.  I really did need some sleep.  And thanks for respecting my privacy.  It means a lot to me," said Karla.  Looking over his shoulder, she continued, "Where are we?"

          "We're in Neo-Lithuania," Niklas began as he activated the external scanners and put it on the big screen.  There were several explosions nearby.  "What's going on?"

          "Zoom in on that area," Karla commanded.

          What the zoomed in picture showed was Neo-France's George de Sand fighting with Neo-Lithuania's gundam.  It was a ferocious battle on George's part.  Suddenly, as Karla watched Gundam Rose push off the head of his opponent, she felt afraid.

          Someone touched her shoulder and she jumped and cried out in surprise.  Turning, she saw it was Niklas.

          "I didn't mean to scare you.  Schwarz has contacted you and is waiting on the line."

          Nodding absentmindedly, Karla turned and went to the communications console.  "What's going on, Schwarz?"

          Schwarz replied, "I called to see how you were doing.  Have you made contact with either Gundam Rose or Bolt Gundam?"

          Karla replied, "Yes, I persuaded Argo to head for the Guiana Highlands last night after I fought him.  Niklas and I have just arrived in Neo-Lithuania where we just witnessed Gundam Rose remove the head of the Neo-Lithuanian gundam."

          "What do you plan to do about it?" asked Schwarz.

          "I...um...don't know yet," whispered Karla.

          "You're afraid of George, aren't you?" asked Schwarz.

          Karla closed her eyes in shame and looked down at her hands resting on the desk in front of the console.  "Yes," she whispered.

          "In order for you to continue improving as a fighter, you must fight strong opponents.  Only then will you improve.  Unless you do that, you will be ruled by your fear of those stronger than you," said Schwarz.  The screen went blank.

          Karla stared at the screen for a minute before her hands balled into fists and she slammed them on the desk hard.  _I know that Schwarz is right! I must face my fear and fight George de Sand again, no matter what his state of mind is or how furiously he comes at me!_


	7. Dreams, Dragons and Revelations

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission.  I do make references to the Schwarz/Kyoji situation a bit in this chapter._

Shadow Life – Part 7

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


_          An image of the Ultimate Gundam was in his mind.  Kyoji watched in horror as those green tendrils snaked out of its open cockpit, grabbed him and pulled him inside despite his struggles.  His living nightmare was just beginning._

_          Several months later, the machine that had fought so valiantly against him now lay upon the ground; its pilot was brought to the cockpit by those awful tentacles and was nearly dead._

_          "Who…are…you?" croaked the frail and dying form that lay in front of him._

_          Kyoji couldn't stand to watch the death and destruction caused by the Ultimate Gundam anymore.  He remembered so much! The last fighter to attack him with its scimitar had merely been contaminated with DG cells.  Now this man, wearing a mobile trace suit comprised of black, red and yellow stripes, lay at his feet, his mask ripped and his face exposed enough that Kyoji could see it and the tremendous pain in his eyes.  It tore at Kyoji's conscience, at his soul to know that he was going to be responsible for yet another death._

_          Kyoji realized then that he must do whatever he could to destroy this monstrosity that had absorbed his physical body.  The scientist within his mind could only come up with one solution.  He must be able to leave this place!_

_          Looking at the fighter below him, Kyoji called upon the regenerative powers of the Dark Gundam – as it was now known by the outside world - and watched as the horrible green tendrils wrapped themselves around this man and when his body was made new, Kyoji found himself losing consciousness rapidly.  He focused everything about himself, in essence, his soul, and put it into this newly regenerated body._

_          The next thing Kyoji remembered was waking up inside the cockpit of the other gundam, with no green tentacles in sight, yet he was underground.  He sensed a presence within his mind and touched it briefly.  The soul of the man whose body he now occupied was still alive.  Kyoji learned from this body's mind that his name was Schwarz Bruder and he was the pilot of Gundam Spiegel for Neo-Germany._

_          As a scientist, Kyoji knew nothing about fighting or piloting a gundam beyond the basics.  He supposed that if the gundam fight was the only way to destroy the Dark Gundam then he and Schwarz must truly become one.  It was almost like Schwarz understood this and realized that Kyoji wasn't evil, but a victim of circumstance.  The merger of their souls, though painful for both of them, was successful._

  
  


          Jumping forward to the present, as the man known as Schwarz Bruder slept, he saw another face that was being absorbed by the Dark Gundam.  Schwarz sat up in bed and cried out, "No! Niklas!!"

          Looking around the room, Schwarz realized that it was a nightmare.  At the end of it, he had seen the Dark Gundam absorb his son Niklas.  He didn't want to lose his son to the Dark Gundam.  He would do anything to prevent that from happening, even at the cost of his own life.  As he put a hand over his unmasked face, Schwarz felt something akin to loneliness and despair.

          After all this time, he found his only son was now involved in the gundam fight.  The part of him that was Schwarz was full of pride at the man his son had become, but at the same time, he couldn't share any of that with Niklas.  Schwarz knew his existence was so limited now and he felt that his mission to protect and help Domon Kasshu was so one-sided that it was ridiculous and that was partly why he was also helping Karla.  She wasn't the same as Domon; she had the training and control that she needed to effectively command her gundam.  At times, she lacked the mental focus to achieve her goals.  If he, as a fellow practitioner of German ninjitsu, could help her to achieve that, then that was fine with him.

          As Schwarz closed his eyes for a moment, images of Karla and Niklas were visible in his mind's eye.  It was still night outside and he had come across the location of Dragon Gundam a few hours ago after speaking to Karla.  He focused his mind on the task at hand, to get the Dragon Gundam and Sai Saici to go to the Guiana Highlands to train further and realize his true potential as a member of the Shuffle Alliance.

  
  


          "Sai Saici, you must continue to train!" Keiun exclaimed.

          "What? But I'm the great Sai Saici; I don't need to train anymore!" Sai Saici replied as he fixed their breakfast.

          "You can't be serious! You think that you're great? When was the last time you fought a match with another gundam?" Zuisen added.

          Sai Saici was concentrating on the food and didn't reply immediately.  He felt fortunate that his back was turned to his two monk escorts.

          "But I'm not ready to fight!" Sai Saici finally said as he turned around.

          "Precisely," Zuisen said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.  "You are not ready to fight."

          "You must continue your training," said Keiun.

          The monks stared at him with their arms folded across their chests.  He placed their food in front of them and then went back to fill his own plate.  Their brows were furrowed and their lips set in straight lines.

          "What'd I say?" asked Sai Saici.

          "You said that you weren't ready.  Or is it something else?" asked Zuisen.

          Sai Saici didn't meet the monk's gaze when he sat to the table to consume his meal.

          "We must find someone strong to challenge you to a match," said Keiun.  "Then you would understand how ridiculous you've been acting."

          As he devoured his meal, Sai Saici muttered, "I think this needs a little more seasoning."

          The monks gaped incredulously at Sai Saici's apathy, stared at each other and shook their heads in utter frustration.  Sai Saici said nothing as he continued eating.  After his breakfast, Sai Saici reluctantly went outside to continue his training.

          "The Shaolin temple is doomed," said Keiun.

  
  


          From a nearby tree, Schwarz observed Sai Saici's lackadaisical movements as he went through the motions of his training.  Had his encounter with the Dark Gundam demoralized him so much that he didn't care about anything anymore?

          Schwarz headed down to where Sai Saici was training and the monks had now come to watch.  As he approached, he heard them talking between themselves.

          "How can we get him out of this apathetic state of mind?" asked one of the monks.

          "Perhaps I can be of some assistance?" asked Schwarz.

          The monks whirled in surprise.  "What?" asked Keiun.  "Oh, it's you; you're Schwarz Bruder from Neo-Germany.  We met in Shinjuku, right?"

          Schwarz nodded once.  "Are you in need of some assistance?"

          The two monks looked at each other for a moment and then bowed before him.  Keiun asked, "May we ask a favor of you?"

          "I'm listening," replied Schwarz.

          "Will you challenge our fighter to a gundam match?" Zuisen asked.

          "You're aware that he has the right to refuse me," said Schwarz.

          "Yes, but..." they replied simultaneously.

          Schwarz put his hands on his hips.  "Very well, I shall challenge him."

          Sai Saici came over and asked, "What's going on here?"

          "I've come to challenge you to a gundam fight," replied Schwarz matter-of-factly.

          The expression on Sai Saici's face was one of utter fear at that instant.  However, it only lasted for an instant.  He exclaimed, "You're on!"

          When the eyes on Dragon Gundam flashed, Schwarz knew that Sai Saici was ready.  He snapped his fingers, Shadow Gundam appeared and he disappeared and reappeared inside the cockpit.  His mind was completely focused on his opponent.

          "Gundam fight standby!" Schwarz exclaimed.

          "Ready," Sai Saici exclaimed.

          "GO!!" Schwarz finished.

          Schwarz charged at Sai Saici who began jumping all over the place.  At the last possible moment, he vanished and that was enough to cause Dragon Gundam to stop jumping.

          "Where'd you go?" asked Sai Saici.

          Reappearing in front of Dragon Gundam, Schwarz used his Spiegel blades to carve an 'X' across Sai Saici's chest before disappearing again.

          "No fair! You keep disappearing!" protested Sai Saici.

          "You need to deal with the situation, not whine like a child!" Schwarz taunted.  He decided to finish this battle now, if the boy would not fight, then he hoped that utter defeat would be enough to shake him back to reality.

          Sai Saici just didn't have his heart in this battle.  Schwarz reappeared behind Dragon Gundam.  He tripped Sai Saici, jumped and when he came down, his Spiegel blades were crossed over Dragon Gundam's neck.

          "AAAAHHHH!!!" Sai Saici shouted in despair.

          Schwarz stood and his tone was condescending as he said, "This battle is over.  You have been defeated."

          "I can't understand what happened, I don't want to...fight anymore," Sai Saici whispered.

          Schwarz said nothing, but went over to where the monks stood together.  A moment later, he jumped down from his cockpit to speak to them.

          "It seems that he has lost the will to fight," commented Schwarz.

          "Yes, we know.  That is why we wanted you to fight him.  Is there anything we can do?" Keiun asked.

          Placing one hand on his hip, Schwarz watched as Dragon Gundam slowly stood and returned to its resting place.  Turning to face the monks, he replied, "You must seek out strong fighters or else he will never regain his fighting spirit.  I am hoping that his defeat today made Sai Saici aware of how pathetic his skills are."

          "That's putting it roughly," said Zuisen.

          Schwarz shrugged.  "It's the truth."

          "We shall seek out Domon Kasshu of Neo-Japan," said Zuisen.

          "You will find him in the Guiana Highlands in South America," responded Schwarz.  He then turned and went back to his gundam.  Soon, he was on his way to the Guiana Highlands.  It was time for him to return to observing Domon's progress in his training.

*        *        *        *        *        *        *

          In Neo-Lithuania, after witnessing George de Sand's brutal attack on the Neo-Lithuanian gundam, Karla reconsidered how she would approach the problem of getting George to go to the Guiana Highlands.

          As she stood in the shadows of the Neo-France transport and looked up at Gundam Rose, a chill went through her as she saw the sheer brutality of George's attack in her mind's eye.  She closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed nervously.  _I can't believe that I'm afraid of George de Sand!_

          What had Niklas said to her when he glimpsed her fear in her eyes before she left the transport earlier?_ It's perfectly natural to fear someone or something that has tried to kill you._  _You must face your fear or it will follow you forever.  _His soothing tone of voice and wise words reminded her of Schwarz.  Despite Niklas' reassuring words, Karla felt humiliated that she was afraid.

          Karla decided that talking to George might be the best thing for her to do.  It began to rain then and she pulled her hooded black cloak closer about her.  As she approached the door to the transport and was about to knock, she felt a repeating vibration at her hip.  She reached down and pressed a button to stop the pager unit from vibrating, then pulled it from its clip and quickly glanced at it.

          There was a message from Niklas.  She pressed a button and it scrolled up the screen.  When she finished reading the message, she could hardly believe it.  One of the President's aides was here to see her and was demanding her presence at the transport or else she would be removed from the gundam fight, immediately arrested and sent to the prison on the Neo-Austria colony.

          A shaft of light fell upon her then.  Someone cried out, "Halt! Who are you and what are you doing here?"

          Karla's first reflex was to fight.  Instead, she reached into her pocket, pulled out several silver balls and threw them down in front of the approaching guards.  It gave her an instant to glance at the surrounding area and rooftops and consider what she would do.  All was quiet for the moment.  Although it wasn't her first choice, she turned away from the Neo-France transport and headed back to the Neo-Austria one.  Several bullets whizzed past her head as she ran from the scene.  She thought, _You fools!_

          When Karla returned to the Neo-Austria transport, she found a group of armed men waiting for her.  She calmly entered and saw Niklas tied in a desk chair beneath a light on the far side of the room with two armed men flanking him.  His arms were secured to the wooden arms of the chair, but Karla observed that his legs and feet were still free.  They obviously didn't consider Niklas much of a threat.

          "What's going on here?" Karla demanded, her eyes narrowing in anger.  "Niklas, are you all right?"

          One of the men guarding Niklas muttered, "Answer the question!"

          Niklas' voice was but a whisper as he replied, "Yes."

          From the shadows to her left, a voice said, "We're here to ensure that you do what you're told from now on."

          "Who are you?" asked Karla.

          "You know me and yet you don't recognize my voice?" the man asked.  When he continued, his tone was soft and cajoling, "Are you certain you don't know me, my love?"

          It struck Karla then who this man was.  Her eyes widened in stunned disbelief.  "Claus?"

          "Ah.  You do remember, I'm flattered," Claus said flatly.

          "Aren't you supposed to be in prison back on the Neo-Austria colony?" asked Karla, incredulous.

          "I'm afraid not.  That was merely for your benefit, you poor, lovesick woman," replied Claus condescendingly.  His voice was more sinister when he ordered, "Bring her to me!"

          Two men grabbed Karla's arms as she gaped at Claus.  When they touched her arms, she began struggling and managed to free one arm.  Her victory was short-lived as something came crashing down across her shoulders.  She fell to her hands and knees, stunned.

          "You fool! I don't want her unconscious; I want her to see what we're going to do to her partner over here," Claus said.  He pulled something from his coat pocket.

          Karla crawled over in front of where Niklas was seated and slowly stood.  Two men grabbed her arms and a third tied her hands behind her back.  It was then that she noticed her katana was gone.  One of them had removed it before she got over the shock of knowing Claus was here.  She was roughly pushed down to the floor.  The lights in the room suddenly came on and when she lifted her head, she recognized Claus.

          "So you're one of the Neo-Austrian President's aides now!" Karla exclaimed acidly.

          "No, Karla.  I am the President of Neo-Austria," said Claus as an evil smile came over his face.

          "No!" she cried out.  "It can't be!"

          Claus looked down at her for an instant before nodding once to one of the men above her.  The man yanked her up to a sitting position and she cried out in pain.

          "Karla, no!!" cried Niklas as he struggled to get free.  They had put Karla's katana within easy reach of the chair if only he could get free.  "You fiend! Stop hurting her!!"

          "What do you care? Do you even know what she looks like?" asked Claus.

          Before Niklas could answer, Claus nodded and the man behind Karla reached around her head to her jaw and his fingers slid beneath the edge of her mask.  The next instant, he yanked her head back and pulled off the mask.  Karla's body crumpled to the floor from the way her head had been wrenched backwards.

          "NOOOO!!!" shouted Niklas.

          Niklas' fury driven anger loosened the bonds holding his arms to the chair.  He slid them free, stood and slammed his fist up and into the jaw of the man who stood on his right.  He then picked up the sheathed katana to use as a weapon.  Swinging it, he managed to strike and stun two of the other men.  They fled after quickly regaining their senses, leaving only Claus in the room.  As Niklas finally pulled the katana from its sheath and brandished it towards Claus, the President decided that his plans would have to wait for another time.

          "I shall return!" shouted Claus as he took this opportunity to flee.

          Karla moved to get up then and Niklas whispered, "Stay there and I'll untie you.  Then you can put on your mask.  I didn't see your face before and I won't look now."  He replaced the katana to its sheath, knelt down and then proceeded to untie Karla.  "I will say that you have very pretty black hair."

          "I thought you said that you wouldn't look!" exclaimed Karla indignantly.

          "I can't really help it.  I have to look at the knots to untie them.  Do you think I am a knot expert who can untie knots by feel?" Niklas asked in reply.  Before she could respond, he finished untying the ropes that held her and chuckled at her response.  "Seriously, are you all right?"

          "I think so," said Karla as she gently rubbed her wrists.  Closing her eyes for a moment, Karla realized that this was another barrier that she faced.  Opening them again, she reached over and picked up her mask.  Her hair tumbled over her shoulders, hiding her face.

          "Thank you, Niklas.  I...I want you to come here and sit with me," Karla said as she stared at the mask in her hand.

          Niklas glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Aren't you going to put on your mask?"

          Changing the subject, she asked, "Why did you stand up for me the way that you did?"

          "Even though we've only been together a short while, I've found that I care about you a lot, Karla," Niklas replied without hesitation as he sat next to her and put his arm over her shoulders.

          "What was Claus going to do to you?" asked Karla.

          "He said something to one of his men about DG cells.  I didn't catch it all as I was in the process of sending you that text message with a gun being pointed at my head.  When these men came here, I thought they were on the level and were really representatives of the Neo-Austrian government."

          "Though I didn't know that Claus was until tonight, the other men really are representatives of the Neo-Austrian government," said Karla softly.  "And that's what frightens me the most.  You heard them.  I have to do what they say or else I go to prison for life."

          "Somehow, after what happened tonight, I don't think that you will obey them," Niklas said.  "At least, not entirely, you're too stubborn."

          Karla quietly chuckled and her arm snaked around Niklas' torso.  "I may have little choice in the matter.  However, I must return to the task that your father appointed me to, namely getting George de Sand to the Guiana Highlands."

          "Karla, I think you've earned a rest, at least for tonight," said Niklas as he kissed her hair.

          On an impulse, Karla turned to Niklas and kissed him tenderly.  She felt his arms encircle her body and pull her close.  A peaceful, relaxed feeling flooded through her as she kissed him.  When they separated, she looked at him and saw him as someone whom she realized that she cared about deeply; and though she wasn't entirely sure why, she trusted him very much.

          "Thank you, Niklas," said Karla as they separated.

          Niklas looked at her and his hand gently brushed her hair back from her face.  She didn't flinch or try to hide from him.  "You're…you're beautiful Karla."

          She blushed at his comment.  "Thank you, Niklas."

          Karla and Niklas sat together on the floor for a few minutes before she stood and stretched.  "I think it's time for some sleep.  George de Sand can wait until tomorrow," said Karla.

          She left the room and went to her bedroom.  For the first time in a long time, Karla was able to sleep peacefully.


	8. Karla vs George Rematch Dark Plot Conc

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 8

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          The next morning, Karla felt more refreshed than she had in a long time.  Today, she would challenge George de Sand to a gundam fight.  Despite her inner fear of the man, she found herself looking forward to the fight.

          The only thing that bothered her at the moment was Claus' statement that he was now the President of Neo-Austria.  She went into the communications room, turned on the computer and pulled up one of the news sites on the web.  One of the headlines read, "President of Neo-Austria Commits Suicide - Investigation Continues.  New President Claus Stromberg inaugurated..."

          Karla snorted.  "Suicide my ass! The man was probably murdered by Claus!"

          "What's that?" asked Niklas from the hallway.

          "It's in the news that the President of Neo-Austria committed suicide," replied Karla.

          "Hmmm.  Given Claus' concern for how you are doing – or rather, how he thinks you should be doing - in the gundam fight, it seems odd that he would jeopardize his new position to come here to antagonize you," commented Niklas as he came into the room and looked over her shoulder.

          "There's nothing odd about it.  He used to be my boyfriend.  I can't believe I fell for him!" said Karla.

          "Claus is your ex-boyfriend?" asked Niklas.  "And isn't he the reason that you're going through all this?"

          "Yes.  After what's happened, I'm surprised that I didn't see through Claus' deception.  I now understand that he betrayed me long before my father erased my existence."

          "What do you mean?" inquired Niklas, perplexed.

          "The evidence that the Neo-Austrian government showed to my father was surveillance footage of Claus and me sleeping together and making love.  It was explicit and nothing was blocked out to spare me embarrassment in my father's eyes.  I knew that my father disapproved of Claus, but you know how impetuous young lovers are."

          Niklas inhaled sharply.  "I...I had no idea.  How could they do that to you?"

          Karla shrugged.  "My choice of boyfriend was poor and I've paid for it dearly.  Who knows how many people have seen that footage during their investigation!" she said dejectedly.

          Niklas felt his heart lurch at how Karla had been treated and wanted desperately to hug and comfort her.  He was finding it difficult to resist the urge when she continued, "Since they showed that explicit footage to my father and me, my dignity has been in shreds.  Only now am I finally gaining it back."

          "As for young love, I really don't have much experience there.  I've been a loner for most of my life.  I do take after my father in quite a few ways, I suppose," Niklas commented as he leaned against the wall, put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet.

          When Karla didn't reply, Niklas asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what's the big deal with you and Claus sleeping together?"

          "It wasn't a big deal until Claus was arrested.  When they searched his place, that's when the schematics for Shadow Gundam's prototype were found," replied Karla.

          "Why was he arrested? I mean, what put the authorities on to him in the first place?" asked Niklas.

          Karla replied with a shrug, "I never thought to ask.  All I knew was that the man I loved was in trouble."

          Niklas touched her shoulder and leaned close.  "His well-being was all you cared about, wasn't it?"

          Nodding, Karla stood and crossed to the door.  "That's all in the past.  I must deal with things as they are now.  As far as I'm concerned, Claus is my enemy," said Karla.

          "Yet you are now in a position where you must follow his orders because he's the President of Neo-Austria," commented Niklas.

          When Karla turned and looked at Niklas, there was a distant look in her dark eyes.  He felt like she was staring right through him.  She blinked and her tone was emotionless when she replied, "I am between a rock and a hard place."

          "It would seem so," Niklas commented dryly.

          "It also seems that the prototype schematics were another excuse to make me bow down to their wills.  I was weak, I was foolish, I was..." cried Karla as she slammed her fist against the doorframe.

          "Human?" Niklas finished.

          Karla looked at him with a pained expression on her face and then there was a knock on the outside door.  She composed herself and pulled on her mask.

          "You're still going to wear the mask?" asked Niklas.

          "In gundam matches and outside this place, yes, I am going to continue wearing the mask," said Karla.  "When I'm here with you inside this place, I probably won't."

          The knock was louder and more persistent now.  Karla went to answer it.  She inhaled sharply as she saw George de Sand of Neo-France standing there.

          "Mademoiselle!" George said in greeting.  "I see you're recovered from our last match."

          "Yes," replied Karla.  She tried to keep her fear out of her voice as she spoke to him.

          George continued, "I wish to challenge you to another match."

          Folding her arms over her chest, Karla said, "I hope you're more in control of yourself this time."  Karla thought she saw fear in George's eyes, but that lasted only a moment and was swiftly replaced by indignation as though her comment wounded his pride as a knight.

          "Do you accept my challenge?" inquired George.

          "Of course," replied Karla as she put one hand on her hip.

          "At noon, to the west, there is a flat uninhabited plain where we can fight.  See you then."  George turned and walked away.

          Niklas came up behind her.  "You sound confident."

          "I am and I owe it all to you," said Karla.

          "What do you mean, you owe it all to me?" asked Niklas.

          Karla shrugged.  "You helped me overcome a massive barrier to realizing my full potential as a fighter."

          Niklas' brow rose and he nervously asked, "I did? How? What did I do?"

          Karla closed her eyes, shook her head and chuckled.  When she opened them again, she said, "You have helped me to learn to trust again."  With a wink, she added, "Perhaps even more than that, but only time will tell."

          _I hope so,_ Niklas thought as he watched Karla's every move.  Glancing at his watch, he said, "There's half an hour before your fight.  I'm going to do a quick diagnostic on Midnight Gundam's systems."

          "Okay!" called Karla as she went to stretch for a few minutes and mentally prepare for the upcoming match with George.  She must overcome her irrational fear of the Frenchman or else she would lose this battle.

          Karla went to a private meditation chamber that she'd set up during the first month of the gundam fight.  It was furnished with few things, a straw mat where she sat cross-legged and braziers where she could burn incense if she so desired.  However, today, she chose to turn on the small bubbling fountain of water.  She dimmed the lights and closed the door, hung her mask on a small wall hook, and left her shoes next to the door.  Silently, she crossed the room, sat cross-legged on the straw mat and focused her mind inwards.

          The sound of the water relaxed her slightly tense muscles and her mind was soon at peace.  She was able to focus her mind towards her inner strength and power, which she realized she hadn't been able to do since before meeting up with Schwarz or Niklas.  She breathed evenly so as not to disturb this focus and remembered how it felt so if she needed to, she could call on it during battle.

          Twenty minutes later, Karla brought herself out of her focused state.  She now felt mentally prepared for her battle with George de Sand and whatever he would throw her way.  She stood, crossed to the door, put on her shoes and took her mask from its place on the hook.  As she opened the door, she pulled on her mask and headed for her gundam.  

          Karla climbed into her gundam's cockpit with a lot more confidence than she'd felt in a long time.  There was a determined look in her eyes as she headed for the area that George indicated for the match to take place.  Upon her arrival, she found the Gundam Rose waiting for her and George was sitting on its open hand.

          "I see you decided to face me.  Good," commented George.

          "Gundam fight, standby!" called Karla.

          George returned to his cockpit.  When it was closed, Gundam Rose's eyes flashed blue.  "Ready!"

          "GO!" they both shouted in unison as they charged one another.

          After a brief bout of punches, Karla saw she was getting nowhere fast.  She said, "Midnight swords! This time, the sword hilts slid out and forward into her hand from their hidden compartments inside her gundam's wrists.  She remembered that this was slightly different from the mark one version of Midnight Gundam.  An instant later, she held two long black katana blades in her hands.

          George paused, stepped back, pulled his saber from its scabbard and attacked Midnight Gundam.  The sight of his enemy with two blades didn't deter him in the least.  They began dueling with their blades and were fairly evenly matched until Karla managed to flip George's saber out of his hand.

          "Rose streamers!" George called out.

          The metallic cape over George's left arm sprang upwards, revealing the compartments beneath.  The rose streamers flew out of their compartments and circled Karla's gundam.  She watched as they hovered around her for a moment before the streams of energy began to connect them.  Before the energy net could be completed, she made her gundam disappear and reappeared on the other side of the net.  She sheathed her swords.

          "Rose bits!" George called.

          "Obsidian stars!" Karla cried out.  Two large black throwing stars appeared in her hands and she threw them towards the compartments where the rose bits were just starting to come out.  The stars hit their targets and the exploding compartments and rose bits knocked Gundam Rose to the ground and disabled the other two compartments.

          Karla took this advantage to charge over to George and again pulled out her swords.  She jumped and when she came down, she crossed her swords over Gundam Rose's neck and stood with one leg on his metal cape so he couldn't try anything.

          "I believe I have won this fight," said Karla.

          Gundam Rose relaxed beneath her and George's face appeared on her screen.  "Yes, you have.  Well done.  It seems that I must continue to improve if I am to defeat the likes of you."

          Karla commented quietly, "I believe that you know of someone who can help you in that regard."

          "Yes," said George.  "His name is Domon Kasshu of Neo-Japan."

          "You will find Domon in the Guiana Highlands of South America, George de Sand," said Karla.  With that, she stood, turned, walked away and vanished.

  
  


          As she returned to her transport, Karla settled Midnight Gundam in its place and the ship took off for the Guiana Highlands.

          She showered and changed clothes before waltzing into what passed for a living room and plopping onto the couch.  A few minutes later, with the ship on autopilot, Niklas came in and joined her.

          "You did well today," observed Niklas.

          "Thanks," responded Karla.  "I didn't feel any fear towards George today.  He also didn't lose his mind during the battle.  I must still keep my guard up around him, don't you think?"

          "I think that you must do what you feel is right," commented Niklas.

          "I shall," said Karla with a determined look in her eyes.

          "I believe that George was sufficiently humiliated by his defeat today that he will seek out Domon Kasshu.  It's funny how they all seem to gravitate towards him as their 'stronger opponent'," observed Niklas.

          "I too should seek out a stronger opponent, but in my case, it will be Schwarz.  However, we should set out for the Guiana Highlands, as that is where Schwarz said we would find him.  Perhaps he can explain George's strange behavior before and why it didn't affect him during our battle today."

          "We're on our way there now," Niklas said.  "By the way, there is a message for you to call Claus."

          "What does that scum want now?" muttered Karla angrily.

          Niklas shrugged.  "He probably wants you to seek out Domon Kasshu and challenge him."

          Karla looked up at the ceiling.  "Are you serious?"

          "That's what I would suspect, but I didn't contact him.  The message was specifically for you to call him," said Niklas.

          "Phooey! Let Claus wait until tomorrow.  I'm tired of having to jump at the government's every whim," said Karla.

          "I wouldn't wait if I were you.  His message sounded like there would be some serious consequences for you if you didn't contact him soon," said Niklas.

          Shrugging, Karla stood and went to the communications room.  As she sat to the desk, she turned on the computer and pulled on her black mask.  After pressing several keys and entering a code, she found herself waiting as the line at the other end buzzed.

          A moment later, an exasperated face appeared.  "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Claus demanded.  "I'm trying to eat my dinner!"

          "I know exactly what time it is," replied Karla icily.  "I was told that you wanted to speak to me."

          "Oh, I didn't realize it was you, Karla," stuttered Claus as his politician mask slid over his face.  "I want you to seek out the fighter from Neo-Japan.  He would be a powerful opponent for you to fight."

          "We are headed for his location now," said Karla.  She loved the effect the black mask had on people.  It was much more intimidating than the flag mask.

          "Good," said Claus as he took a bite of a roll.  "Um, exactly where are you headed?"

          "To the Guiana Highlands in South America," replied Karla.  "The Neo-Japan fighter has been reported in the area."

          "I see.  Good luck," said Claus as he closed the channel.

          Karla turned off the computer and considered Claus' body language as well as his words.  His rudeness was something new, she observed as she pulled off her mask.  Perhaps it's just this new position of President that has him a bit on edge.  She felt the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.  _Something is wrong! I don't know what, but Claus was acting really strange just now! thought Karla._

  
  


          Claus closed the channel and muttered, "It seems that you were right, Master Asia.  Domon Kasshu is in the Guiana Highlands."

          Master came out from the shadows of the room.  "So you're sending that woman after him?" he asked, incredulous.  "She doesn't stand a chance against Domon, even without control of his super mode."

          Quiet laughter came from Claus.  "You obviously know nothing about Karla Geist.  She is trained in the same techniques as your nemesis Schwarz Bruder from Neo-Germany."

          "What?!?" responded Master.  He turned away from Claus before continuing, "Humph! It still won't make any difference! If she continues to the Guiana Highlands, then she will die there with the members of the Shuffle Alliance."

          Claus said nothing and Master Asia left the room.  A blinking light on his console told Claus that someone was on the line.  After hearing the door close behind Master Asia, Claus took the call.

          "Are you alone?" asked the caller.

          "Yes," replied Claus.  "Have you considered my proposal?"

          "I have and I accept your offer.  Please come to Geneva in Neo-Switzerland and bring the items we will need," said the mysterious caller.

          "I shall be there tomorrow," replied Claus as he closed the channel.  He left to make preparations to make the short trip from Neo-Austria to Neo-Switzerland.


	9. Dark Plot Phase 1 Karla's New Beginning

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 9

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          Late that night, the Neo-Austrian team arrived in the Guiana Highlands.  In the cockpit of their transport, Karla began tracing the signal from her tracer inside Shadow Gundam.  She gave the coordinates to Niklas and he landed in a clearing adjacent to the one where Shadow Gundam stood.

          After landing, Karla went outside.  She breathed in the clean air and looked up at the stars.  It was an incredible view of the night sky.

          "You can come out Schwarz," said Karla.

          Schwarz came into the clearing and stood next to her.  "I see things have improved for you, Karla.  You were able to sense my presence."

          "Yes," said Karla as she turned to face him.  "I have regained much of my mental focus thanks to you and Niklas."

          "Glad to hear that we were able to help," Schwarz said.

          Changing the subject, Karla said, "Schwarz, George de Sand challenged me to another match.  I didn't experience the same terrible fear of him that I felt after my recovery from the first match with him."

          "Did anything happen to him during the fight?" asked Schwarz.  "What I mean is did he lose his head like before?"

          "No, as far as I can tell, he didn't," replied Karla.  "I was able to soundly defeat him.  His defeat humiliated him enough that it was easy for me to convince him to come here to fight against Domon."

          Schwarz commented, "After the Shuffle Alliance was freed from the influence of the DG cells by their predecessors sacrifice and from Master Asia's control by Domon, I realized by their attitudes that they needed to be made to understand how weakened they were after that experience.  This is why I asked you to help me get them to come here, so they could fight each other and, if necessary, us, to train themselves for the ultimate fight against the Dark Gundam."

          "I understand," said Karla.  "I was surprised when I didn't feel the fear.  I am grateful, though.  I suppose that the ultimate test is actually to be around George de Sand for any length of time.  If I can, I'll know that I'm over my fear of him."

          "The other problem you face from him is whatever is haunting him.  I believe that George's experience with the DG cells opened an old wound deep within him and that, along with the Dark Gundam, is what George is fighting.  I have watched him as he works out and heard his nightmarish screams coming from his tent at night.  The next morning, when I saw him, he looked like he never slept at all."

          "Hmmm…I can see why George's behavior is unusual.  However, I shouldn't be afraid of George now that I know more about the situation," said Karla.

          "Let the Shuffles settle down and fight each other for the moment," said Schwarz.  "I suggest that later, after I check on Domon, you and I do some sparring."

          Karla's expression relaxed and she acknowledged, "I'd like that.  Like them, I also need to fight a stronger opponent.  I'll rest until then."  She changed the subject again, "By the way, the new President of Neo-Austria wants me to find and challenge Domon Kasshu."

          "New President?" asked Schwarz.  "What happened to the old one?"

          "The news services say that he committed suicide.  I think that he was murdered.  My ex-boyfriend Claus Stromberg is the new President of Neo-Austria," replied Karla with a frown.

          "What?! He's the man who kidnapped me!" Schwarz said angrily.

          "I despise Claus for what he and the Neo-Austrian government have done to make my life hell, but I am also stuck taking orders from him," replied Karla.  "When I spoke to Claus earlier, I sensed something wasn't right."

          "What did you sense?" asked Schwarz.

          Karla shrugged.  "I think he's up to something and it's evil whatever it is."

          "I understand that feeling.  I sense evil too; though I believe what I am sensing is the Dark Gundam," commented Schwarz.

          "Hmmm...How is Domon Kasshu's training going?" asked Karla.

          "He is training himself, though as usual, it seems to be all physical; he just doesn't understand the mental aspect to what he is trying to achieve," replied Schwarz.

          Karla turned away and rubbed her arms as though she was cold.  "And what is he trying to understand?"

          "He's trying to master the ability to use his gundam's super mode at will," replied Schwarz.

          "I see," said Karla.

          "Do you feel that you still need a lot of help with your training?" asked Schwarz.

          Karla sighed.  "I haven't asked my sword yet."  With that, she charged toward a tree that was as wide as Schwarz.  She drew her katana and swung it at the tree.  The blade glinted in the moonlight as it swiftly sliced through the tree.

          Schwarz came over, looked at the tree stump, the katana and Karla's eyes as she turned to face him.  He saw the confidence there and knew that she had made far better progress on her own than Domon could ever hope to."

          "I think you've found your answer," said Schwarz.

          "I haven't been able to do that since before the gundam fight started.  I shall continue training whilst I am here," responded Karla.  "There is a technique or two that I would like you to help me with, but that can wait until you feel Domon is improving himself."

          "Good.  I'll come back then.  In the meantime, keep talking to Niklas as you have been, he is the key for you.  Good bye for now, Karla.  I'll see you later."

          "Good bye, Schwarz," whispered Karla as he turned and disappeared into the dark forest.  She turned and went back inside the transport ship where Niklas was waiting.

          "What did he say?" asked Niklas.

          Karla paused in the hall and said, "We talked about various things."

          As Niklas looked at her, something inside Karla snapped then and she turned and ran to her bedroom.  As she entered, she pulled off her mask and dropped it on the table.  Niklas came in after her and she felt his arms encircle her in a gentle embrace.

          "No!" Karla cried out as she shook off his hands.

          Niklas paused before he asked, "What?"

          "I shouldn't..." began Karla softly.

          "Shouldn't what?" asked Niklas, perplexed.

          "I shouldn't allow myself to feel...to have...romantic feelings for you...or...anyone."  Karla sniffled as she continued, "Not until after the gundam fight is over."

          Niklas saw Karla's body shaking with the force of her emotions.  He gently reached out, turned her to face him and she put her head into his shoulder and wept.  He lightly stroked her hair and her back to reassure her of his presence.

          When Karla regained her composure, she looked into Niklas' dark eyes.  At first, she was unsure of allowing him to touch her, but then realized that Niklas meant her no harm and she didn't pull away.  Karla relaxed and found that she felt safe in his arms.

          Niklas leaned close to Karla and his lips touched hers in a tender kiss that said more to her than mere words ever could.  Something deep within her soul opened and she suddenly understood Schwarz's last words to her before he left.  Niklas is the key to her future as a fighter and as a woman.

*        *        *        *        *        *        *

          In Neo-Austria, Claus left to begin his trip to Geneva.  He had plenty of men to guard him and his precious cargo.  The next day, Claus and his entourage arrived safely in Geneva.  They headed for the vacant Swiss team's base.  He would meet the mysterious caller soon and start his plans in motion.  Karla would pay for her defiance of him.  Once the mechanic - who was his agent - had been dismissed from his post watching Karla and reporting on her every action, Claus had not been able to ingratiate himself with the new mechanic.  Niklas Bruder refused to accept bribes of any sort.  Claus was beginning to regret allowing his predecessor to give Karla a new mechanic, especially one from Neo-Germany.

          Claus wondered if Niklas was related to Schwarz.  When he arrived at his destination, he went to a terminal, entered a code for the intelligence service and typed in an inquiry.  A few minutes later, the information he requested appeared on the screen.  He pressed a button to get a printout.  _It pays to be President! _he thought smugly.

          After closing down the computer, he examined the printout.  As he read the information, he realized how little was known about this man Niklas.  There was no reference to his family; only his mechanical skills with a gundam were listed.  _What is it about people with the last name of Bruder? Didn't they exist in the computers?_ thought Claus angrily.

          Claus dropped the papers on the table and then slammed his palms on them.  Pressing a button, a screen activated.  He pressed a series of buttons and a map of Earth came up on the large screen on the wall of this office.  A moment later, a light began flashing in the Guiana Highlands of South America.  His eyes narrowed as he made a call on his secure personal line.

          When the man on the other end answered, Claus said, "The target is in the Guiana Highlands.  You have the material and you know what to do."

          "Yes sir," the man said.

          "Remember, you only have enough for one shot.  Get that gundam fighter at all costs.  You will report to me immediately when you have completed the job."

          "Yes sir," the man responded.

          Claus was satisfied and cut communications.  An evil grin came over his face.

*        *        *        *        *        *        *

          Somewhere in the Swiss Alps, the gundam fighter representing Neo-Switzerland and his crew had just finished setting up camp for the night.

          A mysterious black gundam appeared out of nowhere.  A voice called, "I challenge you to a gundam fight match!"

          The fighter looked up.  "I accept your challenge!"

          Inside his cockpit, Master Asia smiled evilly.  He held nothing back and within five minutes, the battle was over and the Swiss man was unconscious.  The lone mechanic who served as the crew for Neo-Switzerland hastily ran inside their transport to send off a message to his nation pleading for assistance.

          Master suspected that the man would do something like that and using his belt like a whip, sliced open the transport like a can of sardines.  Several men dressed in black came out of the forest, entered the wrecked transport, and removed the mechanic's body.  Whether the man had gotten a signal off was of no concern to him.

          Master Gundam's thrusters fired, it took off and headed for Geneva carrying the Neo-Swiss gundam.  Within the hour, Master Asia arrived at the Neo-Swiss base where he found Claus waiting for him.

          Master laid the other gundam on the hangar floor, tore open its cockpit and then some of Claus' men climbed inside and removed the unconscious pilot.

          "Bring him and follow me!" ordered Claus.

          He headed inside the base's medical wing and went into a room where there was a table with straps in the center.

          "Secure him to the table," said Claus.

          Once the man was secured, Claus took a box from the refrigerator, opened it and pulled a syringe from it.

          He tilted the syringe toward the ceiling and carefully squeezed the plunger to remove the excess air from it.  Claus heard the sound of ripping fabric and a moment later, injected the man with the contents of the syringe.

          "Master, how long until the final battle?" asked Claus.

          "There's still a month left.  What did you inject him with?" asked Master in reply.

          "This is a sedative.  He is to be transported to Neo-Hong Kong.  I'll keep him in protective custody until then," replied Claus.

          "Then why did you need him captured so soon?" asked Master.

          From the shadows was heard soft, menacing laughter.  "So many questions, Master!"

          "Who's there?" demanded Master.

          The man who came out from the shadows was none other than Prime Minister Wong of Neo-Hong Kong.


	10. Dark Plot Phase 2 Karla vs Chibodee Ni

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 10

By:  Diane Maher

  
  


          "Prime Minister Wong!" exclaimed Master.  "What are you doing here?"

          "I have business with the Neo-Austrian President," replied Wong.

          Behind Wong, Claus gave Master a hand signal indicating that he needed to speak to him.  "I see.  I have other matters to attend to," said Master.  He inclined his head and left the room.

          Wong opened a panel on his floating chair and removed a small briefcase.

          "Everything you need is inside.  I have also given you a place in Neo-Hong Kong where you may conduct your operation in secret.  The location is in the briefcase.  I hope you get what you planned for, Claus," said Wong.

          "I will.  Thanks to you and Master Asia," said Claus.  "Revenge will be mine."

          Wong left the room.  Master entered a few minutes later.  "What else do you need?"

          Claus said, "I will need your help in training this fighter."

          "WHAT?!?!" demanded Master.  "You don't just train someone in four weeks! That's all we have until the finals in Neo Hong Kong!"

          Claus smiled evilly.  "He is a gundam fighter.  All we need is for him to be able to utilize this gundam's abilities to their fullest."  He handed Master several pieces of paper.  "I believe that my request is within your ability to achieve in two weeks' time."

          Master glared angrily at Claus and crushed the paper in his fist.  "You're a fool! Why do you want me to train this man?"

          "That's of no consequence to you, Master," replied Claus.  "Just do it.  Those papers which you just crushed detail what this gundam is capable of."

          Master spread the crumpled pages, read the information, then looked at the prisoner and nodded.  "I'll do it."

  
  


          None of them noticed the man cloaked in the shadows of the rafters above.  Schwarz couldn't figure out what was going on.  Why did Claus want revenge? The man was already the President of Neo-Austria.  With narrowed eyes, Schwarz suspected he already knew who the target for Claus' vengeance was.  Karla was a sitting duck if Claus knew where she was currently located.  She might already be in trouble.  If that was the case, then so was Niklas.

          _What gundam are they talking about? Who is the man strapped to the table?_ mused Schwarz.  _By their comments, he is a gundam fighter, but from where? He would have to check that out when he returned to the Guiana Highlands._

          The part of him that was Schwarz Bruder was already considering a plan to keep an eye on Claus.  _If he so much as lays a hand on either Karla or Niklas, he will pay for any injuries he causes to them!_ On the other hand, the part of his mind that was Kyoji, tried to suppress these thoughts and instead turned his mind towards how to assist Domon achieve the completion of his training sooner.  As much as he didn't want to, Schwarz knew he had to abandon Claus for the moment.

  
  


          While Karla and Niklas were enroute to the Guiana Highlands in the Neo-Austria transport, Claus contacted them.  Karla went to the communications room to take the call.  As Karla sat in front of the computer, she wondered what Claus wanted.

          His face appeared on the screen and he said, "Upon your arrival in the Guiana Highlands, I want you to find the Neo-Japan fighter and any other fighters who are there.  Then, contact me with a report.  In the meantime, remember, you are fighting for our nation."

          Karla's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she acknowledged his request with a brief nod.  "All right, I'll contact you as you ask."

          "Good.  I'm returning to the colony.  Contact me there," said Claus.  He then hung up.

          _Our nation?_ thought Karla angrily.  _No, Claus.  It is your nation, not mine!_

          Niklas came into the room.  "What did that fool want?"

          Karla giggled.  "That fool, as you so aptly describe him, wants me to contact him after we determine who else is in the Guiana Highlands when we arrive."

          "Why?" asked Niklas.

          Karla snorted.  "Who knows? I'm going there to train so I can perform my ultimate technique."

          "Can't you already do it?" asked Niklas.

          "No, it requires a certain mindset that I've not been able to master.  I know the details and mechanics of the technique, but without the extreme focus of the mind that it demands, the technique won't help me in a fight."

          "Let me know if I can help you in any way," said Niklas.

  
  


          Karla and Niklas had arrived in the Guiana Highlands late the previous night.  As they approached, Karla scanned the area with the ship's external cameras in night vision mode.  The computer identified gundams from Neo-Japan, Neo-America, Neo-Russia, Neo-China and Neo-France.  She spent most of the first day in meditation and spent the evening with Niklas.  At the start of the gundam fight, she would have thought it bad to have a relationship, but now, so much had happened to her since then.  One thing she was certain of, being close to Niklas felt right to her.

          Looking at her watch, Karla saw that it was almost daybreak.  She returned to the communications room.  Turning on the computer, she called Claus.  A moment later, a sleepy Claus answered.

          "What? Who? Oh, Karla.  It's you," said Claus.  A woman's bare arms slid around his neck.

          Karla turned away from the screen, disgusted.  "Don't let me disturb you while you wreck another woman's life!"

          "Huh? What d'ya mean?" asked Claus sleepily.

          "You know exactly what I mean, you bastard!" Karla retorted.

          Claus rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  "What do you want to talk to me for, Karla? Can't you see I'm in the middle of dictation?"

          "Dictation, my ass!" spat Karla.  "You wanted a report on which gundam fighters are in the Guiana Highlands."

          "Oh, that! Call back again in an hour and my secretary here will take down the information," replied Claus.

          Karla's tone was harsh.  "You'll take the information now.  I won't call you back."

          Claus sighed.  "If you insist, go ahead."

          Karla frowned as she said, "Our computer identified gundams from Neo-Japan, Neo-America, Neo-Russia, Neo-China and Neo-France."

          "Is that all?" asked Claus.

          "Yes," replied Karla.  She wasn't about to reveal the presence of Neo-Germany's gundam here.

          "Danke, my former love," whispered Claus; his expression was one of sudden pleasure.  A moment later, the screen went blank.

          Karla narrowed her eyes in anger as she stood and pulled on her black cloak.  As she headed for the door, she picked up her katana.  She felt the urge to destroy something.

          Karla stormed outside the transport and slammed the door closed behind her.  She clenched her fists, closed her eyes and screamed to vent her frustration.  When she was calm once more, she sensed someone nearby.  She turned around and looked, but found no one in the immediate area.

          Karla slowly drew her katana from its sheath across her back.  With no hesitation, she charged toward the forest.  Her blade bit through several trees before she stopped.  There was still a presence here.

          Her mind focused for an instant before she asked, "Who's there?"

          A tall man with blue and pink hair strode into the clearing.  "Are you all right? I thought I heard a woman scream in this area."

          "I'm fine.  I was..." Karla paused.  "Frustrated and angry, so I screamed to vent my emotions.  I feel better now."

          Chibodee asked, "So, who the heck are you, some kind of ninja? For your information, Halloween is past."

          "I am."  She turned and walked back to where her gundam stood and Chibodee followed.

          "What?" asked Chibodee as he touched the surface of the machine, ignoring her reply.  "This is a cool-looking gundam, though mine is better.  Where's the pilot?"

          Karla's eyes narrowed.  "Don't patronize me, Chibodee Crockett of Neo-America! I am the pilot of the Midnight Gundam you are so blatantly criticizing!"

          The sun slowly rose over the horizon as he stopped looking at the gundam and turned to face her.  "I'll have to fight you then.  It's not often you see a female gundam pilot.  What nation do you represent? Come to think of it, what's your name?"

          Karla put her hands on her hips.  "I represent Neo-Austria.  My name is Karla Geist."

          When the sunlight crept into the clearing, Karla watched as Chibodee saw her in the light for the first time.  He came over to her, winked and said, "Hey, you've got a gorgeous figure, maybe we should postpone that fight.  But why do you wear a mask?"

          "I wear it for personal reasons," commented Karla as she turned and walked toward the transport, ignoring the pass he made at her.

          "Are you some kind of coward?" demanded Chibodee as she walked away.

          Karla glanced back over her shoulder.  "I'm no coward."

          "So what are you doing here?" asked Chibodee.

          "I'm here to train and fight to see how much I've improved," replied Karla.

          "Humph! Why am I wasting my time with a female fighter?" Chibodee asked himself.

          Beneath her mask, Karla smiled.  "It sure took you long enough to get past your male posturing!"

          Chibodee growled.  "That has nothing to do with it!"

          Karla laughed as she snapped her fingers and Midnight Gundam came alive.  She jumped up to the cockpit, entered and the door closed.  She removed her cloak, dropped her katana, shed her clothes, and activated the mobile trace system.  The rings began their downward journey.  As they passed her head and neck, a skintight suit was formed around her body.

          This was the part she disliked.  Karla felt the cool air on her skin as the rings continued their downward descent, as well as the pressure being exerted by the high-tech substance, until her body was covered with her black mobile trace suit.  With her black mask, she looked like a shadow inside the dark cockpit until the monitors around her came to life.  The system confirmed its readiness for battle.  She flexed her wrists, arms and legs.

          Gundam Maxter arrived a moment later.  "Ready!" Chibodee called.

          "Go!" Karla shouted.

  
  


          Schwarz watched from atop his gundam's shoulder as Midnight Gundam and Gundam Maxter began their battle.  He made no move to interfere when it appeared that Gundam Maxter was going to win.  Then Midnight Gundam started glowing.

          He folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes for a moment.  "Humph! So, you've managed to activate your super mode, Karla.  Let's see if you can use its power."

          When Schwarz opened his eyes again, he found that Gundam Maxter wasn't letting up; also, Chibodee's punching attack was much more powerful than the last time he'd seen it in New York City.  He watched as Midnight Gundam's sword lengthened to twice its original size.

  
  


          "Is this the best you can do against me, Karla Geist of Neo-Austria?" Chibodee mocked.

          "No!!" shouted Karla.  Midnight Gundam's eyes flashed green in response to Karla's surge of emotion.

          She charged towards Chibodee and her super mode activated.  Chibodee raised his arm to block Karla's attack.  She brought her midnight sword to bear on him and noticed that it was twice as long as before.  Gundam Maxter blocked her sword attack, but Karla followed through with a punch.

          As Karla was about to punch him, her right arm became intangible until she connected with his jaw.  This happened despite Chibodee's attempt to block her punch.  Her fist connected with his head and Gundam Maxter fell backwards to the ground and slid into a nearby lake.

          "What the?" Chibodee asked, stunned.  He rubbed his face where she'd made contact.

          Midnight Gundam stood motionless.  Inside its cockpit, Karla was staring at her right hand.  _How did I do that? she thought._

          "That was an interesting attack; I've never seen anything like it."  Chibodee was breathing hard from exertion and assumed her lack of movement was for the same reason.  "However, it seems we're both exhausted now.  I suggest a draw," said Chibodee as Gundam Maxter slowly sat up.

          "Um, yes.  A draw," replied Karla slowly.  She was still surprised at what she had been able to do.  Karla focused on Chibodee once more.  "Until the next time, Neo-America."

          Karla opened her gundam's cockpit and walked out.  Looking down, she saw the all-female crew of the Neo-America gundam with Chibodee.  She jumped down, clothes and katana in hand and headed for her transport.

          _I wonder if it has anything to do with being honest with myself? I've mastered most of the principles of the Blitzkrieg Valkyrie, but this particular one has always been out of reach - until now.  Still, I don't know how to control this part of the technique._

  
  


          Later that evening, Karla went outside to clear her mind.  She walked to a nearby clearing and sensed someone there.  Focusing her senses for a moment, she said, "Hello, Schwarz."

          "What did you do that your arm and fist went right through Chibodee's block?" asked Schwarz as he entered the clearing.

          Karla shrugged.  "I'm not really sure.  Whatever it was, happened after he mocked me about not being able to do any better than I had up to that point of the fight."

          "If that technique is what I think it is, you must be able to not only have a focused mind, but you must be completely honest with yourself," said Schwarz.

          _No wonder I couldn't do that technique! _thought Karla.  _I've denied who I really am and how I really feel since the start of the gundam fight._

          "That was a good fight.  I see that you have progressed a great deal with your training since I last saw you.  I'm sure that Niklas has a lot to do with it."

          Niklas walked out of the transport and headed towards them.  "Karla?" he called.  As he approached the edge of the forest, he collapsed.

          Karla's eyes grew wide at the sudden sound behind her.  Schwarz noticed this and asked, "What's wrong?"

          Karla turned and ran to the edge of the forest.  She cried out, "Oh, no! Schwarz, come quick!"

          "What happened?" demanded Schwarz.  He inhaled sharply when he saw Niklas face down on the ground.

          "I don't know!" replied Karla.  "Should we move him?"

          Schwarz ran his hand over Niklas' back and found a dart that he removed and slid into his coat pocket.  "Yes, I think we should.  It's not safe here.  It looks like someone shot him and if we stay here, we could be next!"

          Schwarz carefully picked up Niklas' body and they headed back to the Neo-Austria transport.  As Karla entered, Schwarz carefully took Niklas to the bedroom, lay him face down on the bed and said, "Stay here with Niklas.  I'm going to the Neo-Japan camp and get Rain.  She's a doctor and can help him."

          Karla nodded and increased the amount of light in the room.  Niklas was breathing evenly, but seemed to be shivering.  She carefully covered Niklas with a blanket until Schwarz returned with this person called Rain.

          "What…happened, Karla?" whispered Niklas a few minutes later.

          "I don't know.  You were coming to get me and then you fell," replied Karla.  "Stay still.  Schwarz has gone to get help."

          Schwarz returned with a thin, reddish-brown haired woman a few minutes later.  She quickly crossed the room and started examining Niklas.  Then, she pulled out a medical scanner, turned it on and slowly ran it over Niklas' body.

          "Well?" asked Karla, anxious.

          Rain looked at the readings and said, "Schwarz, the scanner indicates something on his back."  She then lifted Niklas' shirt.

          Karla inhaled sharply, "What is that gray patch on his back?"

          At the same instant, Schwarz thought, _No! It can't be! Niklas is infected with DG cells?!_

          Karla watched as Rain administered something to Niklas.  "What's that?"

          "Just something to ease his pain and allow him to sleep," replied Rain.

          After Rain injected Niklas, Karla sat on the other side of the bed.  Looking down at Niklas, Karla realized how much she really cared about him.  She reached out, touched his skin and found it to be very warm.

          "Rain, should Niklas be as warm as he is?" asked Karla.  "After all, he was shivering before you arrived."

          "I think his body is trying to ward off the..." Rain began and then cut herself off.

          "The what?" asked Karla, having heard Rain's slip of the tongue.  Her concern was evident in her eyes and her voice as she turned to face Rain.

          "Uh...the compound he was injected with," Rain replied quietly before glancing nervously at Schwarz.

          Karla's eyes narrowed as she suspected that Rain was keeping something from her.  She leaned close to Rain.  "Do you know what Niklas was injected with? If you do, I suggest you tell me now.  I don't want him to die because of me!"

          "I...I can't.  I'm not sure," Rain stuttered.

          Karla was furious.  "TELL ME!!!"

          Schwarz placed his white gloved hand on Karla's shoulder.  "Relax Karla.  Right now, there's nothing you can do for Niklas."

          Karla whirled to face Schwarz.  "What?" she whispered hoarsely.

          "Niklas has been infected with DG cells," whispered Schwarz.  "I can't do anything for him either, except make him comfortable and allow Rain to do what she can for him."

          "But..." Karla said.

          Rain said, "I'm sorry Karla.  Schwarz is right.  What we need to do is get this man to a hospital so he can be properly treated."

          "Um, Karla?" asked Schwarz.  "I don't suppose you recognize this?" He handed Karla an empty dart.

          Karla looked at the dart.  "No."  Something on it caught her eye.  She went over to a light and looked closely at it.  The colored stripes around the dart just above the needle were the same pattern as the Neo-Austrian flag.  "Oh no..."

          "What is it?" asked Rain and Schwarz in unison.

          "I..." Karla began then shook her head, turned and walked outside.

          "Please stay here with Niklas," said Schwarz.  Rain nodded.

          Karla walked outside and stared up at the starry night sky.  A brisk breeze blew her cloak forward.  Schwarz walked up and stood next to her.

          Schwarz looked at Karla.  "Who would do this and why choose Niklas?"

          Karla replied quietly, "I believe that I was the one meant to be infected.  Look at the colors of the stripes just above the needle.  They are the same as the Neo-Austrian flag."

          "So you think that Claus sent someone to infect you with DG cells? But why?" asked Schwarz.

          Karla shrugged.  "To try and ensure that I'll return to him? He's pathetic enough to use such tactics."

          "Humph! You can bet that he'll try something else against you," commented Schwarz.  "I saw the Neo-Austrian President while I was in Neo-Switzerland and there's more to his plan than infecting you with DG cells, I can assure you of that.  You must watch your back."

          "I shall," replied Karla.  _What was Claus doing in Neo-Switzerland?_

  
  


          It was the middle of the night when a solitary ship arrived at the President's residence in Neo-Austria.  A man left the ship and was escorted by two men on the President's security staff to where he was to meet with Claus.  The meeting room was located deep in the ground beneath the residence.  The two men searched the newcomer thoroughly with their x-ray machines and weapon detectors.  He was not armed.

          "The President is waiting for you.  Please follow us," one of the men said.

          They walked to a set of polished oak double doors.  The security man on guard outside the door, whispered into a communications device.  After the person on the other end replied, the man opened the door for the trio.

          They walked in and the visitor noticed the opulence of the place.  He wondered how much this cost the citizens of Neo-Austria.  By the time he stopped gawking at the furnishings, he arrived at the desk of the President.

          "Return to your posts, gentlemen," Claus said.

          The man watched as the two security guards walked to the far side of the desk and took up their posts on either side of Claus.

          "Your report?" asked Claus.

          "I infected the gundam fighter as you asked," the man said.

          "Good.  Then she wasn't too much of a problem?" asked Claus.

          As he realized his mistake, the man's eyes widened in shock.  "Uh, no sir, mister President, sir."

          There was something wrong, Claus could tell by the man's sudden change of tone.  "What did you do?" he demanded.  His fists clenched in anger.

          "I..." the man began nervously.  "I...uh...I..."

          "Come on man, spit it out!" shouted Claus.

          "I infected the man, not the woman," the man replied fearfully.

          Claus muttered a string of curses in German.  "I can't believe this!!! You infected the wrong person!" He slammed his palm on the desk.  "We only had enough for one shot! Verdammt!"

          "I'm sorry, mister President!" the man cried out, terrified.

          "Yes, you are sorry.  The sorriest excuse for a mercenary I've ever seen!" Claus nodded once to the security guard closest to the man.  The guard raised his gun and fired several shots into the man's chest.  The man slumped to the ground, dead.

          Claus smiled evilly.  "Remove him.  If anyone asks, he made an attempt on my life.  He tried to kill me with his bare hands.  See to it that the appropriate procedure is followed."

          "Yes, mister President," the security guard replied.  He radioed the security staff.  Soon the matter was taken care of and the office was empty once more save for the two security guards.

          Claus left and his two security guards followed him.  He frowned as he considered the Karla Geist matter.  He continued thinking about it as his chauffeur drove his car to the Presidential residence.  Once there, he could enjoy the night with his secretary.  _I'm not through with you yet, Karla! If you make it to Hong Kong, I'll deal with you there! thought Claus._


	11. Breaking Through

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 11

By:  Diane Maher

          It was late as Karla stood outside next to the Neo-Japan gundam and contemplated the chain of events which had led her here.  First, she had suffered her father's wrath over her relationship with Claus.  When she was arrested by the Neo-Austrians, her father allowed them to do what they wanted as long as his political image was still clean.

          Participating in the Gundam fight as the representative of Neo-Austria had been Karla's only way out of a sentence of life in prison.  Her first mechanic was sent to spy on her by the Neo-Austrian government.  Then she was assigned a new mechanic, Niklas Bruder, who turned out to be the son of Schwarz Bruder, fighter for Neo-Germany.

          Karla remembered how she initially was attracted to Schwarz.  She stopped pursuing him once she learned he had a mission to accomplish.  Meeting the enigmatic Schwarz Bruder was the real reason she had pursued the path she was on now and why she fought against the fighters of the Shuffle Alliance.  They were more inexperienced than any of them would admit and Schwarz realized this.

          Now, Karla found herself strongly attracted to Niklas.  More recently, Karla discovered that Claus betrayed her and was now the President of Neo-Austria.  Then the tragic turn of events when Niklas was infected with DG cells.  She believed that she was the one who was to have been infected.  It was still a mystery as to who wanted her infected with DG cells.  Her instincts told her it was Claus.  He would do anything to have power over her.  It made her sick to even think about Claus.  On the other hand, there was Niklas.  Rain Mikamura was doing what she could for Niklas and Karla appreciated that.  She sighed and the wind blew across the water, bringing a breath of fresh, cool air to the campsite.

          _It's so quiet and peaceful here,_ thought Karla.  She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to reach out to the surroundings.

          Something or someone walked up behind her and disturbed the peace.  Without turning around, Karla said, "Hello Schwarz."

          "Hello Karla.  How is Niklas doing?" Schwarz asked.

          "Rain is treating him now.  I came out here so I wouldn't disturb her," Karla replied.  "I realize that it was necessary to move Niklas here as Rain has the instruments and medicines she needs to treat him."

          "I see," Schwarz said.  He then went inside to see his son and Karla stood and followed.

          As Karla watched Niklas being treated, she realized how she's been living this past year as though time was standing still.  It was like the specter of Claus was holding her back.  Or was that just her excuse? When she fought Chibodee and her gundam's super mode activated, she felt more like her old self before she had met Claus.

_          You have allowed time to stop since the incident with Claus.  To get your life back, you must go on, time must continue! Don't you think you've wasted enough time on Claus? You can't love Niklas if you worry about Claus forever!_ Karla turned around and went back outside.

          When Schwarz came back outside, Karla commented, "I felt at peace during my battle with Chibodee.  I think that's how I was able to activate my gundam's super mode."

          Schwarz came to stand next to her.  "As you know, a serene state of mind is a clear heart without ill feelings or a guilty conscience.  Only then can your skills improve."

          Karla looked at him.  "You're right.  Niklas has helped me so much in the short time that I've known him and I feel like it's my fault that he was infected with the DG cells."

          "Your guilt is holding you back now.  I don't believe it's your fault that Niklas was infected.  Remember, I was with you then," said Schwarz.  "Neither of us saw the attack coming."

          Karla nodded.  "I am going back inside to see Niklas."

          They both walked inside and stood at the bed where Niklas lay asleep on his stomach.

          "Niklas," Karla whispered.  She gently touched his shoulder.

          "Karla, stay with Niklas and keep me informed of his condition," Schwarz whispered.

          "Where are you going?" Karla asked.

          "To see how Domon is doing in his training," Schwarz replied.

          Behind them, the computer beeped as a call came through.  Karla and Schwarz paused as Rain answered it.

          "Hello?" Rain answered.

          The voice they heard was of Raymond, the butler of the Neo-France fighter, George de Sand.  Raymond sounded nervous.  "Forgive me if I interrupted anything.  I am..."  His voice fell to a whisper, "I am very concerned about Master George."

          "But why?" Rain inquired.

          "I cannot say, but we will be arriving in the Guiana Highlands in the next few hours or so.  Will you come and examine him?"

          Rain replied, "Of course.  If you contact me with your coordinates after you arrive, I can just show up by accident."

          "Merci, Mademoiselle," Raymond said.

          "Why are you so nervous?" Rain asked.

          "Master George doesn't know I'm speaking with you," Raymond replied.

          "But, shouldn't he know?" Rain asked.

          "He's too proud to admit there's something wrong with him.  His pride as a knight will not allow him to ask for help, even when he needs it," Raymond replied.  "I must go."  He hung up.

          Karla and Schwarz heard all of this, but kept their eyes on Niklas.  Rain hung up and came over to them.

          "Niklas should sleep for a while.  He'll be safe here," Rain said.

          Karla looked at Schwarz who nodded.  He said, "I'll be back later."  Schwarz left and Karla sat in a chair across the room.  Karla closed her eyes and dozed off.

          The vibration from the door opening woke her.  Someone had entered the room.

          "Who is this man, Rain?" the newcomer asked.  Karla watched from the shadowed corner as the brash youth wearing the red headband and cape stalked across the room.

          "He's Niklas Bruder, the mechanic for the Neo-Austria fighter, Domon.  He was suddenly taken ill and Schwarz came and asked me to see if I could help," replied Rain from the next room.  "I brought him here because I have what I need to treat him here."

          "Oh.  How long will he be here?" Domon asked.

          "I think he will be well enough to travel in a couple of days," replied Rain.

          "K-Kar-la?" whispered Niklas as he moved to get out of bed.

          Rain entered the room then and saw Niklas trying to get out of bed.  She crossed the room and said, "Don't move, you're ill!"

          Domon looked over and saw Niklas' back as the blanket which had covered him slid down to his waist.  "You're infected with DG cells!" Domon exclaimed as he yanked off the blanket.  Karla was silent as she watched Domon, though she was ready to act if he threatened Niklas.

          "I must..." Niklas mumbled.

          "You must stay still!" ordered Rain.

          "How did you get infected with DG cells?" Domon demanded.

          "Domon!" Rain exclaimed.  "Leave him alone, he's ill!"

          Domon ignored Rain and turned his attention back to Niklas.  "I want to know how you came to be exposed to DG cells!"

          He went to turn Niklas over when someone grabbed his hand.  "What the...?!" exclaimed Domon.

          "Don't you dare touch him!" a female voice ordered.

          Domon pulled back his hand and saw the masked woman standing next to him.  "Who are you?" he demanded.

          "I am Karla Geist, the Neo-Austria fighter.  This man is my mechanic and my friend," Karla replied.

          "I must know how he came into contact with the Dark Gundam!" Domon said emphatically.

          Karla's gaze turned to Niklas.  Her tone was flat when she replied, "He didn't.  Niklas was shot with a dart that either contained or was contaminated by DG cells."

          "You sound so cold and emotionless, like you don't care about this man," said Domon.

          The next thing Domon knew was that he was flat on his back with a sore jaw and the tip of a katana pointed at his throat.  "How dare you!" Karla whispered hoarsely.  "I care about this man more than you care about Rain!"

          Domon's jaw dropped in surprise.  He quickly recovered his wits and said, "Stay back, Rain."

          "It's your move, Domon Kasshu," Karla said.

          "It's none of your business how I feel!" Domon shouted.  "You have no idea what I went through or why I'm fighting in the Gundam fight!"

          "No, I don't.  And you have no idea why I'm fighting in the Gundam fight either!"

          "If you two are going to fight, then take it outside.  Niklas needs to rest and won't get any if you're in here shouting at each other," Rain said.

          Karla looked at Domon's eyes and saw the pain of guilt which she had seen so often in her own eyes when she thought of her situation.  Domon's eyes widened and he backed down for some reason.

          "Rain, I have made arrangements to check Niklas into a hospital upon our arrival in Neo-Hong Kong.  We're to leave tomorrow night," said Karla.  "Can he remain here until then?"

          "Yes," Rain replied.

          "Thank you," said Karla.  She turned and left.  Once outside, she vanished into the trees.

          Domon left the transport and headed into the forest.  Karla watched as Rain then came out and climbed aboard her motorcycle.  Karla followed Rain as she drove through the forest.  As the Japanese doctor slowed, the sounds of battle could be heard through the trees.  As Karla paused, she looked around and saw Neo-France's Gundam Rose dueling with a smaller mobile suit.

          Then, Karla watched as George's gundam fell awkwardly to the ground and his saber slashed through the empty air in front of him as the smaller mobile suit tried to help him.  A cold chill went down her spine.  It was happening again.  She couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her.  Karla felt herself trembling.  She breathed deeply several times, and began a silent litany to help her regain control of her emotions.  A few minutes later, the smaller mobile suit managed to calm down George de Sand.  An older man escorted George to the tent that was erected nearby.  Karla breathed easier.

          "Consider yourself fortunate that I'm the only one who can hear you, Karla," a masculine voice said from below.

          She looked down and found Schwarz standing there.  She jumped down next to him and asked, "Why are you here?"

          "Domon was at his campsite and for the moment, I'm leaving him alone.  He can't get what he needs to complete his training on his own and he's too stubborn to listen to me.  Come."

          "What?" Karla asked, confused.

          "It's your turn," Schwarz replied.

          Karla went with Schwarz as the sun was at its peak for the day.  They went into a cave.  Karla sat across from Schwarz and they began their meditation.  When they finished, they stood and for an instant there was silence in the cave.  Karla vanished and attacked Schwarz.  She held a kusari-gama in her hand and her sword was sheathed for the moment.  He blocked her attack easily.

          "Until you can hit me the first time, you haven't obtained your goal," Schwarz said.  "You do not need your weapons."

          Karla nodded and put away her weapons.  She then continued attacking Schwarz. Each session lasted half an hour, and there was little time for her to rest.  When she did rest, she used every technique she knew to relax herself.  After a particularly rough session in which she almost hit Schwarz on the first try, Karla closed her eyes to relax.  She relaxed so much that her mind seemed to be elsewhere.  She was back in the Neo-Japan transport.

          Looking down from above, Karla watched Niklas as he pushed himself up and removed the blanket covering him.  The gray patch now covered most of his back and was now moving down his arms and legs.  Rain came in and managed to get him to lie down again.  She kept giving him a sedative to keep him asleep.  Karla didn't like the look of what she saw.  Niklas needed her to get him to a hospital, and soon.  She had to finish her training now!

          Schwarz charged Karla as she sat with her eyes closed in her meditative state.  As he swung to hit her, Karla's left arm blocked his attack.  Her right arm came up so swiftly that it was nearly invisible to him and she hit Schwarz with her first attack.

          He backed away, stunned for a moment.  Karla vanished in front of his eyes and tripped him up from behind.  When Schwarz looked up, her katana was out and pointed at his throat.  There was an unmistakable aura of confidence around her.

          "I believe that you have found what you were missing, Karla," Schwarz said.

          Karla sheathed her katana and replied, "Good.  Danke, Schwarz."

          "Can you do what you need to do?" Schwarz asked.

          "Yes," Karla replied.  She turned and left the cave.

          Karla saw that the sun was now setting.  She returned to the Neo-France campsite near the lake.  Rain's motorcycle was parked near the tent.  Karla swiftly made her way to the portion of the tent which was in shadow.  She made sure that she was unobserved and listened as George, Raymond and Rain spoke as they consumed their dinner.

          After Rain took off unexpectedly, Raymond soon left of his own accord.  Karla followed the butler.  She was surprised when he led her to the Neo-Japan camp.  She continued her surveillance of the man from Neo-France.  She listened while he explained to Domon and Rain what had happened to George.  It would be interesting to see Domon's reaction and how he dealt with it.  Karla assumed that Domon would confront George.

          The next morning, Karla watched from the trees as George de Sand fought against Mirabeau.  Then, at the end of the battle, she saw the light coming from George and wondered what it was.  As she remained hidden in the trees, watching the aftermath, she noticed someone approach.  A moment later, Schwarz was beneath her.

          "Humph! Well, I see things are back to normal with them," commented Schwarz.

          "I see that you are still guiding them," Karla observed.

          Schwarz looked up.  "Yes.  I thought you were leaving."

          "I have one more thing I must do before Niklas and I leave for Neo-Hong Kong," Karla replied.  "I think that now would be a good time to see to it."

          "I see.  I must get back to seeing what Domon is doing with his training," Schwarz said.

          There was an urgent edge to Schwarz's comment that Karla hadn't detected previously.  She wondered what was going on.

          After everyone else but his butler left the area, Karla entered the Neo-France camp.  She saw George relaxing and sipping a cup of tea.

          "Excuse me," Karla began, not knowing quite where to start.

          George looked up, saw her and stood.  "Mademoiselle, what are you doing here? Please, make yourself comfortable."

          "I can only stay a minute.  I need to know what that light coming from you today was and what it did to that man you fought," Karla replied as she sat.

          George was taken aback by her reply.  He said, "I removed the taint of the DG cells from him.  The light came when I invoked my power as the Jack of Diamonds.  Why do you want to know?"

          "Because my mechanic and good friend Niklas has been infected with DG cells," Karla replied.  "Can you please help him?"

          George nodded.  "I would be glad to help him.  Where is he now?"

          "He's at the Neo-Japan camp.   Rain is doing what she can for him," replied Karla.  "I was going to leave today and take him to a hospital for treatment."

          George closed his eyes for a moment.  "Perhaps you should still plan to do that even after I remove the DG cells from him."

          Karla nodded.  "Let's go."

          Karla and George headed for the Neo-Japan camp.  When they arrived, it was quiet and there was a campfire going in the center of the clearing.  Karla looked at George who shrugged and went to knock on the door of the transport.

          Rain answered the door.  "Please, come in.  Karla, I'm afraid that Niklas hasn't improved," Rain said.

          "I see.  Is he much worse?" asked Karla.

          "He's stabilized because I've sedated him, but his condition is deteriorating rapidly," Rain replied.  "George, what are you doing here?"

          "Karla asked me to try and remove the DG cells from this man in the same manner as I did with Mirabeau," replied George.

          Rain nodded and George went to stand next to the bed.  Karla stood opposite George.  She felt someone touch her.  A quick glance showed it was Rain.  Karla's brow furrowed beneath her mask.  Rain moved back.

          The crest on George's right hand glowed red.  Karla watched as when George touched Niklas' back, the DG cells vanished.  A wave of relief flooded through her and she smiled beneath her mask.

          "Mademoiselle Rain, will you please check this man and make sure I got rid of all the DG cells?" George asked as his crest stopped glowing.

          Rain replied, "Of course."  She pulled out a scanner and scanned Niklas' body.  When she was finished, she said, "He's fine and there are no DG cells in his body."

          "Thank you, George de Sand of Neo-France.  I cannot repay you for this deed," Karla said quietly.

          "No thanks are necessary and you are not indebted to me.  I was happy to do it; I have caused you more than enough pain in the recent past.  The least I could do is help when you asked me," George replied.

          Niklas opened his eyes and whispered, "Karla?"

          Karla looked at Niklas.  "I'm here, Niklas.  You're okay."

          "I know.  I'm still pretty weak though," Niklas said.

          "Karla, you should see to it that Niklas rests for a while before you leave.  There are still a couple of weeks left before the finals in Neo-Hong Kong," Rain said.

          "I will see to it that he rests," Karla said.  "I will leave him here through the night so you can make sure he is healed, Rain.  If you need me, I'll be outside meditating."

          Rain nodded.  "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Karla."

          Karla turned to Niklas.  "Guten nacht, mein Liebchen."  Niklas smiled and closed his eyes to sleep.

          When Karla went outside, she noticed that it was dark.  She sat cross-legged on the ground, reached out with her senses.  The waterfall was noisy, but she managed to tune it out.  For the moment, both she and Niklas were safe and well.  A while later, Karla sensed someone approaching and she knew it wasn't Schwarz.  Her hands reached out and grabbed someone's arms.

          When she opened her eyes, she found herself facing an Oriental youth.  That didn't annoy her nearly as much as the fact that his fingers were curled beneath her mask.

          "Who are you?" demanded Karla.  "And why were you trying to remove my mask? Release it or experience serious pain."

          The youth tried to pull off her mask.  Karla pressed on a spot on each of his wrists.  He yelled and released his grip from her mask.

          "I'm Sai Saici of Neo-China.  I thought you were someone else," Sai Saici said.

          Karla replied, "I am Karla Geist, I represent Neo-Austria."

          "What's the deal with you people wearing masks?" Sai Saici asked.

          Karla replied, "That's none of your concern.  Don't touch my mask again, Neo-China."

          "Why are you here?" asked Sai Saici.

          "Karla, Niklas is sleeping," Rain reported.

          "To..."  Karla paused as she sensed something nearby and whirled to face the forest.  _What's that?_ she thought.

          "To what?" asked Sai Saici.

          "Quiet!!" Karla insisted.

          A moment later, a gundam appeared out of nowhere and rushed towards them.  Karla was transfixed by it for an instant.

          "Who is it?" Rain asked as they could now see the markings on the gundam.  "I don't recognize that gundam!"

          Karla narrowed her eyes as she considered the new enemy.  She snapped her fingers and called, "Rise, Midnight Gundam!"

          "Get back inside, Rain!" Karla ordered.

          "Who is that?" Sai Saici asked.

          "Damn it, get out of here!" Karla swore.

          The bullets spraying the ground were enough to get everyone moving.  A quick glance over her shoulder showed that Midnight Gundam had arrived.  She quickly entered the cockpit and activated the mobile trace system.  The auto diagnostic showed the systems were fully operational.

          "I don't know who you are, but I am here to fight Domon Kasshu," the man in the gundam said.

          "I am Karla Geist, representing Neo-Austria.  Who are you?"

          "I represent Neo-Switzerland," the fighter replied.

          "I see.  Well you'll fight me instead Domon Kasshu," Karla replied.  She charged toward him.  At the last moment, she disappeared.

          "What the hell?!" exclaimed the fighter.  "She's nowhere to be found!"

          "You're pathetic!" Karla observed.  She hit him from behind and he fell to the ground.

          The Swiss fighter managed to get his gundam on its hands and knees.  Karla kicked the enemy gundam in its stomach.  It flew through the air, and splashed in the lake.

          "Leave here at once, you're not worth my time!" Karla exclaimed.

          The Neo-Switzerland fighter said to Karla, "The Dark Army...is approaching."

          "What do you mean?" Karla asked, mystified.

          "AAHHH!!!" the Swiss fighter screamed in agony.  An instant later, his gundam vanished.

          Karla watched with interest as her opponent vanished.  Something was familiar about his gundam.  Karla returned to the Neo-Japan campsite and saw Rain talking to the Neo-China fighter.  They waited below just as she arrived.

          "Who was that?" Rain asked.

          "The man claimed to be from Neo-Switzerland.  He said that he was here to fight Domon Kasshu," Karla replied.

          "It's not like this is his country," Sai Saici observed.

          "Since when does it have to be?" Karla asked.  "All of the Shuffle Alliance members are here and have fought each other or even non-combatants.  I'm going back to my campsite and evaluate this new threat."

          She returned to her campsite and removed her gundam's data card.  _Something was familiar about that gundam._

          Karla jumped down from her gundam's cockpit.  She entered her transport and went immediately to the communications room.

          After turning on the computer, she typed in the words, "Neo-Switzerland."  A picture of a man and his gundam appeared on the screen.  It looked nothing like the one that had attacked her.  Karla inserted her gundam's data card and pressed several buttons. She played back the footage from the battle, found a section where the image of the mystery gundam was head on and stopped the recording.

          Karla started a program that would compare the mystery gundam to all known gundams, past or present.

          The program ran through the database.  Karla gasped in surprise when the results of the search were displayed several minutes later.  The gundam shown was Midnight Gundam, mark one.  Her own previous gundam!

          "What is going on? Why does the fighter from Neo-Switzerland have my old gundam?" Karla asked herself.  "What have you done, Claus?"

          Karla went outside and stood beneath the stars.  She felt that her training in the Guiana Highlands was now complete.  "Only one day to go, now it's time for us to go to Neo-Hong Kong."  She entered the transport and went to sleep.

          The next afternoon, her peaceful reverie outside in the clearing was interrupted.

          "Karla!" Niklas called.  "Are you ready to leave?"

          Karla turned and went back to the transport.  "Yes, I am.  Let's head for Neo Hong Kong."

          The Neo-Austria transport lifted off and headed westward.

          "How long does the trip take?" Karla asked.

          "A couple of hours at top speed," Niklas replied.

          "Are we going at top speed?" Karla asked.

          "No, not necessarily," Niklas replied.

          "Good, I'll be in the communications room," Karla said.

          What the Neo-Switzerland fighter had said to her the day before had made her nervous.  She only recalled hearing about the Dark Army from Schwarz before.  The Swiss fighter seemed at odds with himself, as though he wasn't in control of his body.  She was concerned as she tuned into the frequency of her bug inside of Shadow Gundam.


	12. Revelations, Next Stop, Neo Hong Kong

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 12

By:  Diane Maher

          Karla listened to what was happening to Schwarz back in the Guiana Highlands.  He was fighting against someone called Master Asia.  She didn't know who Master Asia was, but when she powered up the computer, she activated a remote gundam diagnostic program that was embedded in the eavesdropping device.  She found that Schwarz's Shadow Gundam was in bad shape.

          She reached over, pressed the button on the intercom and asked, "Niklas, where are we?"

          There was a brief moment of silence, and then Niklas replied, "We're approaching the western coast of South America now."

          "Land before we reach the ocean!" Karla ordered.

          "Why?" Niklas asked as he started the landing sequence.

          "I'm going back to help Schwarz! His gundam is seriously damaged," Karla replied.

          "Okay," Niklas said.

          The moment the transport touched down, Karla went into the hangar and entered Midnight Gundam's cockpit.  "Open the hangar doors, Niklas," Karla said.

          "Doors open, Karla.  Good luck," Niklas said.

          As Karla flew Midnight Gundam back to the Guiana Highlands, she activated the homing beacon of her device inside Shadow Gundam.  As she approached, Karla made Midnight Gundam invisible.  She was shocked by the devastation of the area as she came down close to where Shadow Gundam lay broken.  The black smoke activated the outer camouflage on her gundam and it would remain invisible even when she wasn't in the cockpit.

          "Mein Gott, Schwarz!" Karla whispered.  He lay on the surface of his Gundam.  She landed nearby and opened her gundam's cockpit.  A moment later, she had put Schwarz's body inside his gundam's cockpit and returned to her own.

          The smoke from the now dying Dark Gundam would enable her to get out of the Guiana Highlands without anyone knowing she had returned.  She leaned down and picked up Shadow Gundam from its resting place.  Karla made both gundams invisible, followed the river out of the Guiana Highlands before turning westward to the ocean where Niklas and their transport were waiting.

          When she saw her transport, she broke radio silence.  "I've got him, Niklas.  Can we transport two gundams in the ship?"

          "It's not really made for it, but with your gundam's key, it can be controlled remotely from here.  Load Shadow Gundam inside the ship and we'll set Midnight Gundam to fly on autopilot alongside," Niklas replied.

          "Okay," Karla said.  "I'm loading Shadow Gundam now."

          A few minutes later, Shadow Gundam was loaded in their transport and Niklas set the ship's computers for Neo-Hong Kong at top speed, activated the autopilot for both the ship and Midnight Gundam.  Karla was aboard and in the hangar getting Schwarz out of Shadow Gundam.  As Karla finished, Niklas' voice came over the intercom system.

          "Is Schwarz okay?" Niklas asked, concerned.

          "Niklas, you'd better come to sickbay.  I'm going to need your help," said Karla.  Once the intercom was off, she added, "Sorry Schwarz, I will have to remove what's left of your mask to check for any additional head wounds."

          Once in sickbay, Karla removed Schwarz's tattered mask, examined his head for additional wounds and found none.  Niklas entered the room, crossed to the bed and looked down.  He inhaled sharply.

          "What's wrong, Niklas?" Karla asked, confused as she still held what remained of Schwarz's tattered mask.

          "That's…not…my father," Niklas replied hoarsely.

          Karla stared at Niklas, and then she looked at Schwarz and back at Niklas.  "What do you mean?"

          "He means...that I'm not...his father," Schwarz whispered weakly as he opened his eyes.

          Karla looked at Schwarz.  "But…"

          "I'm sorry, Niklas.  I didn't want you to find out until after all this was over.  Now I think it would be unfair of me not to tell you of your father's fate," Schwarz said quietly.

          "I…" Niklas stammered.  His expression was one of shock as he continued, "Who are you?"

          Schwarz sat up despite Karla's efforts to keep him still.  "The face you see before you is that of Kyoji Kasshu, the older brother of Domon Kasshu."

          Both Karla and Niklas inhaled sharply.  Schwarz or rather, Kyoji, continued, "I am really not even Kyoji."  For a moment he stared into space.  Then, he exerted his will and the bloody gash on his forehead healed before their eyes.  "The body of the man who was Schwarz Bruder died after his fight with the Dark Gundam."

          Niklas and Karla stared numbly at Schwarz.  "You...healed yourself," Karla began.  "You must be infected with DG cells."

          Schwarz continued, "Actually, there's much more to it than that.  I am an android clone of Kyoji which was created using DG cells and Schwarz's body as a template, so to speak."

          "I don't understand," Niklas said quietly.

          "The body of the man that is known as Kyoji Kasshu is trapped inside the cockpit of the Dark Gundam," Schwarz said.

          "What?" Karla asked, incredulous.

          Schwarz nodded.  He looked at Niklas and continued, "When Schwarz Bruder fought against the Dark Gundam, he fought until the very end.  However, when the fight was over, the Dark Gundam brought me – the real Kyoji, I mean – Schwarz's almost dead body."

          Niklas listened with morbid fascination.  "What happened next?"

          "Kyoji realized that the only way for him to help destroy the Dark Gundam was to do it from the outside.  Using the regenerative power of the Dark Gundam, Kyoji created this body.  Afterwards, Kyoji was weakening rapidly.  He focused everything he was, in essence, his soul and transferred it to this body.  What he didn't realize is that Schwarz's own soul was still within the mind of this body.  Only after Kyoji woke up inside of Shadow Gundam sometime later, did he realize this.  So, since Schwarz always wore a mask, I took up the mantle of Schwarz Bruder.  I never dreamed I'd ever meet you, Niklas."

          "But you recognized my name and that I was Schwarz's son!" Niklas protested.

          Schwarz shrugged.  "When your father's body was made into an android by the DG cells, the brain was not touched.  All of Schwarz's mind and knowledge, his very essence is still inside.  On the Neo-Japan colony, Kyoji was a scientist.  He knew nothing about fighting.  Schwarz was a fighter and without his valuable knowledge and abilities, I wouldn't be where I am today.  I am truly sorry, Niklas.  I know your mother died giving birth to you and now your father – at least his physical form – is gone as well."

          Tears rolled down Niklas' cheeks as he struggled to comprehend what had happened to his father and why.  He looked at Schwarz through tear-streaked eyes.  He felt a hand on his right arm and when he looked, he found Karla standing there.  She took him in her arms and he wept.  As she held him, she murmured, "I'm so sorry Niklas."

          When they separated, Niklas nodded, sniffled, tried to compose himself, failed and closed his eyes briefly before falling to the floor on his knees.

          Karla turned to face Schwarz and took off her mask.  Her dark hair fell over her shoulders.  Schwarz looked at her and said, "I recognize you! You're the Neo-German Chancellor's daughter!"

          "Yes," Karla acknowledged.  "My name is Karla von Geist."

          "But how can this be?" Schwarz asked.

          "I already told you how this came to be," Karla replied.

          "So, despite all that's happened since then, are you still fighting for Neo-Austria?" Schwarz asked.

          "I have no choice in the matter.  I must or else Claus will see to it that I go to prison.  I have no doubts about that whatsoever.  Now you understand why my father acted as he did," Karla replied.

          "He should have listened to your side of the story," Schwarz said quietly.

          Karla shrugged and folded her arms across her chest. "He did.  I suppose he felt that fighting in the gundam fight was my just punishment for seeing Claus even after he forbade me to do so.  My father believed that I was Claus' accomplice and guilty of his crime."

          When Schwarz didn't comment, Karla continued, "I had no idea why I'd been framed until shortly after I met you and Niklas.  When I found out that Claus was the new President of Neo-Austria, I realized that I was a pawn for him, nothing more.  For those who might have opposed him, he used me as an example of what might happen to them."

          "What about the mask?" Schwarz asked.

          "I must continue wearing a mask until I feel I have earned the right to remove it outside of this transport.  Since I met both of you, I haven't worn the flag mask of Neo-Austria very often, as I feel that I am not being true to myself.  Claus hasn't noticed; I've worn this black mask when communicating with him."

          Schwarz considered her words.  "I must ask the two of you not to reveal anything about my true identity, especially to Domon."

          "Wouldn't he want to know?" Karla asked.

          "He cannot know until there's no way to keep him from knowing.  The only way that will happen is if I am injured in a gundam fight match.  I will not let that happen to me again," Schwarz said.

          Niklas was finally able to compose himself.  "I'm sorry," he whispered.  "I..."

          "Don't worry about it, Niklas.  If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me," Karla said.

          Niklas nodded and then excused himself.  Turning to Schwarz, Karla asked, "Do you need help with repairing your gundam?"

          Schwarz shook his head.  "Thank you, no.  Actually, I should thank you for saving me back there."

          "I owed you, remember? I think we're even now," Karla replied.

          With a chuckle, Schwarz slowly stood.  "Yes, I think we are.  Did you achieve your training objectives?"

          "Yes, thanks to you," Karla replied.

          "You were a good student," Schwarz replied with a smile.

          "After the whole incident with the Dark Gundam and Niklas' infection with DG cells, I suspect that things will get nasty, especially with Claus," Karla said.

          Schwarz closed his eyes and responded, "I agree.  I know you'll do what is necessary.  How is Niklas? I didn't see any DG cells on him."

          "George de Sand used the power of his Shuffle crest to heal Niklas.  Rain was able to treat Niklas to some extent, but once I watched George heal his sworn enemy, I asked him to help Niklas."

          "Hmmm.  Then you've overcome your fear of George?" Schwarz inquired.

          Karla replied, "Yes, I have, once and for all."

          "Do you love Niklas?" Schwarz asked.

          "Yes, I love him very much," Karla whispered.  "He has helped me so much since we first met.  I will not deny that I love him."

          "I see.  You understand what I told you before you left to persuade George and Argo to come the Guiana Highlands," Schwarz said.

          Karla nodded.  "The night before my second fight with George, I finally realized how I felt about Niklas."

          "Does he love you?" Schwarz asked.

          Karla replied, "Yes.  Our relationship has intensified since then.  In fact, if you don't need me, I'm going to turn in for a while.  According to Niklas, if we fly at full speed, we should be in Neo-Hong Kong in time for the final round of the gundam fight."

          Schwarz was about to say something else, but Karla yawned.  He followed as Karla left and went to her quarters.  When she stood in the open door, she found Niklas asleep in the bed.  She was about to turn away and go to the cockpit until Schwarz touched her shoulder.

          "I'll check our speed and watch over the controls of the ship.  You need to rest, Karla.  Go on," Schwarz said.

          Karla entered the room, removed her boots and pulled off her black cloak.  She then removed her shirt and pants as she crossed to the bed, leaving a trail of clothes behind her on the floor.  Her attention was focused wholly on the bed.  She was exhausted.  Obviously, that she had used her gundam's power of invisibility to the extent that she had back in the Guiana Highlands really sapped her strength.

          As Karla stripped and climbed into bed with Niklas, she gazed at his sleeping face and recalled the first time they'd slept together.  It was shortly before their departure from the Guiana Highlands.  Closing her eyes, she remembered their lustful encounter.

_          "I find it interesting that we seem to gravitate towards each other," Karla whispered as she walked into her bedroom and dropped her mask on a table._

_          Niklas followed, she turned towards him and he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.  He reached up, brushed a lock of dark hair back from her face, cupped her cheek and then their lips met in a tender kiss.  "Do you mind if I do this?" he asked as they separated._

_          "No," Karla whispered in reply.  "I don't mind at all.  In fact, I like it very much."_

_          Their kisses were soft at first and then became more passionate.  The next thing Karla knew was that she had opened Niklas' shirt and was lightly stroking his chest.  He didn't move to stop her.  His hand slid down and gently stroked her butt._

_          Niklas' hands slowly explored Karla's body and by that time, his shirt was off and so was hers.  He unhooked her bra and slid it off her shoulders.  His hands gently caressed her breasts; she moaned softly into his mouth but didn't stop him from touching her.  A few minutes later, they had shed their remaining clothes, and were on the bed making love._

          Karla opened her eyes and blinked as she woke from her brief nap.  She heard Niklas' rhythmic breathing next to her.  He was sound asleep.  However, she noticed his hand now rested on her belly and this comforted her.  She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

          Schwarz turned away as Karla stripped and climbed into bed with Niklas.  In the back of his mind, he felt a longing for Karla that he knew he couldn't satisfy.  He then silently closed the door on the couple.  Shaking his head, he thought, _Besides, my son has fallen in love with her! _Niklas reminded him of himself in many ways.  Schwarz went to the cockpit.  The ship's autopilot was set for Neo-Hong Kong and their speed was at full, so they would make it there in time for the finals.  He sat in the pilot's chair and made himself comfortable.

          As they drew ever closer to their destination, Schwarz used this time to focus his energy to fully repairing Shadow Gundam with the self-recovery abilities of the Dark Gundam.  He hated these DG cells, but in this instance, they were very useful.  Once they arrived in Neo-Hong Kong in a couple of hours, there would be little time for such extensive repairs.


	13. Arrival in Neo Hong Kong

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 13

By:  Diane Maher

          As the Neo-Austria ship approached Neo-Hong Kong, Schwarz finished repairing Shadow Gundam.  He then considered what he had learned about Karla.  That she was the Neo-German chancellor's daughter was both interesting and unexpected.  His training time with her in the Guiana Highlands was short when compared to the time he spent hovering over Domon.  _Humph! Hovering isn't the word for it!_ Schwarz thought.

          Most of Karla's improvements were coming as a result of her budding relationship with Niklas.  He was the one that Karla had learned to trust and confide in.  Schwarz wasn't aware of everything that had transpired between her and Niklas, and he knew that it wasn't necessary for him to know.  Karla was well on her way to earning her freedom and reaching her full potential as a fighter.

          A change in the sound of the engines alerted him to the fact that they were approaching Neo-Hong Kong.  It was time for him to leave.  Schwarz sat up, pressed the intercom button, and said, "Niklas, I have to leave now.  I can't arrive in Neo-Hong Kong with you.  Please come to the cockpit."

          A few minutes later, Niklas came to the cockpit.  He was still somewhat sleepy.  "What's happening? Why can't you arrive with us?" Niklas asked.

          From behind him, Karla replied, "Schwarz can't let anyone know how he arrived in New-Hong Kong and we can't show the Neo-Austrians that we've helped or cooperated with him in any way."

          Niklas turned and looked at Schwarz.  "Is this correct?"

          "Yes," Schwarz replied.

          "Good bye, Schwarz," Karla said.  "And good luck in the upcoming battles."

          "Good luck to you too, Karla.  Thanks for coming back for me," Schwarz said.  "I'm looking forward to meeting you in the finals."

          "Yes, me too," Karla said.  She went to the hangar with Schwarz.

          Before they entered, Schwarz said, "Thanks for helping me get the Shuffle Alliance members together in the Guiana Highlands."

          "You're welcome, Schwarz," Karla replied.  "I'm glad I could help."

          Schwarz nodded silently, Karla hugged him briefly.  When he stepped back, he put on another mask that he kept in case one was damaged.  He opened the door, watched her dark hair blow in the breeze for a moment, she smiled and he turned and headed for his gundam.

          Karla watched as Schwarz climbed in his gundam and then, it powered up and left the hangar.  She closed the door, pressed a button on the intercom, and said, "Niklas, he's gone, close the outer doors."

          "I will, but I think I should land so you can fly your gundam into Neo-Hong Kong," Niklas replied.  "It would be impressive."

          "You're right, it would.  I'll fly the gundam to the city," Karla said.  "I'm not here to impress any politician, least of all, Claus.  It's bad enough that I have to listen to him."

          "I can tell that you're ready for the gundam fights to be over," Niklas commented.

          "What was that?" Karla asked.

          Niklas replied with a chuckle, "Nothing.  I'll be landing shortly."

          When both the ship and her gundam touched down, Karla pulled on her mask, climbed inside its cockpit, powered up the gundam and flew toward the city lights.  Niklas followed in the ship.  They landed close to the ship from Neo-Russia.

          "I see most of the Shuffle Alliance made it here, with the notable exception of the Neo-Japan fighter," Karla said.

          "Look at all the fighters who are already here!" Niklas exclaimed in awe.

          "Until Domon arrives, he isn't eligible for the finals," Karla said.

          "The Neo-Japan people are here from the colony," Niklas said.  His tone became contemptuous as he added, "I see a vehicle flying the Neo-Austrian flag approaching."

          "Yes," Karla muttered as the car stopped next to her gundam.

          The driver opened the car door and Claus stepped out with his bodyguards and secretary and casually walked toward where she and Niklas stood.  Claus wore a dark suit and hat and a pair of polarized sunglasses.

          "Hello Karla," Claus said.

          "Claus," Karla replied in a barely civil tone.

          The secretary came over and said, "You'll address him as President."

          Karla's gaze turned on the secretary and she was about to say something when Niklas touched her shoulder.  He shook his head and said, "It's not worth it to try and argue, Karla."

          "Bitch!" Karla muttered under her breath.

          Someone else touched her other shoulder.  "Now don't you offend my secretary," Claus said in a patronizing tone.

          Karla's gaze shifted to Claus.  Her eyes narrowed and her tone was indignant when she replied, "I'll say whatever I please."

          Claus' brow furrowed and he nodded to the security men.  They grabbed Karla by her arms and Claus moved to stand in front of her.  "You'll do what I say or else I'll see to it that you're arrested and publicly humiliated far worse than you were before.  I'll see to it that the whole world watches this time," Claus threatened.  "I'll be in touch with you, Karla."  To his security men, he said, "Release her."

          Niklas was speechless as Claus threatened her.  As Claus walked away, he asked, "You'll be at the Neo-Austrian embassy?"

          "Yes," Claus replied.

          Karla watched in stunned silence as Claus and his entourage returned to the car.  Her brow furrowed and then she whipped out a small device, made a few swift adjustments, pointed the device towards the departing Neo-Austria car, and fired.  A tiny disk attached itself to the vehicle and blended in with the surface.

          As the car drove away, Niklas came over, and stood next to her.

          "Will I ever be free from Claus?" Karla whispered.

          "You will be free of him at the end of the gundam fight," Niklas whispered.

          "I am a person without a country or an identity," Karla whispered.

          "We'll deal with that later.  Come; let's go back to the transport for the night.  We need to rest and catch up on our sleep," Niklas said.  "I think the flight here from the Guiana Highlands is catching up with me."

          Karla bowed her head, closed her eyes, clenched her fists and angrily muttered, "You will pay for my humiliation at the hands of the Neo-Austrians, Claus.  I..."

          Someone broke her train of thought a moment later.  "Karla, you mustn't allow him to goad you like that."

          Karla whirled around and found an older man standing there.  "Schwarz, is that you?" she whispered.

          "Yes.  I don't want to reveal my presence to the others until the introductions tomorrow," Schwarz replied.

          Karla asked, "You heard what Claus said to me?"

          "Claus is an arrogant fool," Schwarz said with a nod.

          "He is also the President of Neo-Austria," Karla said.  "I may despise him, but you are right, I shouldn't let him get to me."

          "Remember your training and what you learned in the Guiana Highlands," Schwarz commented.

          Karla nodded.  Beneath her mask, she smiled demurely.  "I will, Schwarz."

          "Neo-Japan still isn't here," Niklas said.

          "No," Karla said.  A flash of light caught her eye.  "Look at that!"

          "What is it?" Niklas asked.

          "I don't know.  It's a glowing light," Karla replied.  She pulled out a small pair of binoculars and raised them to her eyes.  "It's Rain!"

          "What?" Schwarz asked.

          "Yes, I don't understand what is going on, perhaps you might?" Karla replied and handed the binoculars to him.

          Schwarz looked through them and commented, "Hmmm.  I think I understand what is going on there.  If I'm not mistaken, she is probably communicating with Domon.  That device was only in the design stages last year."

          Niklas said, "I see.  So Neo-Japan has invented a device that allows humans to speak telepathically to one another over great distances?"

          "I wasn't involved with that project, though I knew something of the technology as we used something similar for the Ultimate Gundam's pilot to control its systems," Schwarz replied.  "The Shuffle Alliance members are gathered around her."

          "Look! Up in the sky! There's a shooting star!" Karla exclaimed.

          Schwarz took his eyes off Rain and looked up in the sky.

          In the background, a female emcee shouted, "Only one minute to go until all the gundams are required to be here for the final round of the thirteenth gundam fight!"

          "What is going on? Now there are five lights," Niklas observed.

          "It must be Domon!" Schwarz exclaimed.

          "But who or what are the other four?" Karla asked.  "Surely Domon doesn't need an escort to arrive here?"

          "It's not an escort, they are attacking him.  Or perhaps just informing him that they exist," Schwarz commented seriously.

          Domon's gundam landed just in the nick of time.  The Shuffles, Rain and the various support teams were in the area around the Neo-Japan gundam.  Karla and Niklas returned to their transport and Schwarz left to return to wherever his gundam was hidden.  The gundam fight final match would soon begin.


	14. Dark Plot Phase 3 Father vs Daughter

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 14

By:  Diane Maher

          As Claus watched the scenery fly by the car, he considered his alliance with Prime Minister Wong.  Everything he asked for had been given to him.  The only provision was that if the Neo-Austrian fighter won the Gundam fight, then the Dark Gundam would remain the sole property of Wong.

          A feminine hand touched his cheek then, interrupting his train of thought.

          "What is it, my dear?" Claus asked.

          "That woman was terribly rude to you," the secretary said.

          "She's our nation's gundam fighter.  All fighters are rude, they can't help it, you know," Claus said.  "She was good in bed though."

          "How could you actually sleep with her?" the woman asked, disgusted.

          "It was necessary.  I wouldn't be the President now if I hadn't slept with her," Claus replied with a shrug.

          "She has no respect for you and refuses to address you properly," the woman said.

          "She is nothing like you, my darling.  You know how to address me and you're a proper Austrian woman, worthy to be at my side," Claus said.  _Karla is my unwilling pawn in this game.  She will be sacrificed to the gundam fight when she meets the new and improved fighter from Neo-Switzerland.  When the game is over and I have won, then her fate will not be important anymore._  His mind returned to reality once more.

          "I hope that you enjoy sleeping with me more than you ever did her," the woman said.

          "Of course, I do, darling," Claus replied.

          By this time, the car arrived at the Neo-Austrian embassy and entered.  When the car parked inside the garage, Claus and his secretary went to his office.

          Claus paused at the door, turned around and said, "I have a few calls I need to make.  Please do not disturb me."

          "Yes, mister President," she replied.

          After he closed the door behind him, Claus went to his computer and placed a call.

          "Hello," Claus said.  "Have you made any progress since we last spoke?"

          "Yes.  This new man that you sent is working out far better than the original fighter.  He will be able to defeat Karla Geist," Master Asia said.

          "I'll contact Wong and make the arrangements for this man to be considered the official Neo-Swiss fighter," Claus said.

          "There's no need.  I already made the request to Wong and he approved.  He told me that he spoke with the Neo-Swiss people and they had no problems with the arrangement," Master Asia said.

          "Good.  This fighter will take care of Karla?" Claus asked.

          "Yes.  He will take care of the Neo-Austrian fighter before she gets to the semi-finals," Master replied.

          Claus smiled wickedly.  "I will be anxiously awaiting his victory over Karla.  Good-bye."  He hung up.

          When Niklas woke the next morning, he found Karla fast asleep next to him.  He eased himself out of bed, crossed to the closet, pulled out some clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower.  He came out fifteen minutes later, dressed and his face was shaved.  Karla was still asleep and sprawled across the bed now and he smiled.

          Niklas left the bedroom, closing the door securely behind him.  He had some work to do on some modifications to Midnight Gundam's weapons and decided to get an early start.  As he left the transport and walked across the hangar to where the gundam stood, he heard footsteps behind him.

          Niklas paused and asked, "Who's there?"

          "It's just me, Niklas," Schwarz said as he came out of the shadows.

          "Oh.  Do you need me for something? I'm going to be busy for the next few hours," Niklas said.

          "How is Karla doing after that little spat with Claus?" Schwarz asked.

          "She's still asleep right now.  As to how she feels, I believe that she's fine," Niklas replied.

          "Hmmm," Schwarz said.  "That's good."

          "Except when Claus calls; Karla is generally very cold towards him," Niklas commented.

          "Claus betrayed her and she was then arrested by the Neo-Austrians.  Karla needs to deal with her emotions regarding Claus," Schwarz said.  "Claus isn't the only one that she's been cold to over a communication."

          "Surely she hasn't been that way with you?" Niklas asked.

          "No.  It was with the Neo-German chancellor," Schwarz replied.

          "Her father.  Humph! I should have known," Niklas grunted.  "I haven't asked her about what happened to her when she was arrested, perhaps I should."

          "Be careful, you don't want to lose her trust," Schwarz said.

          "Honestly, I don't want to lose any part of Karla.  I love her!" Niklas whispered.  "Deep down inside you father, you know how it feels to lose someone you love."

          Schwarz closed his eyes for a moment before replying, "Yes, Niklas.  I do remember losing your mother when you were born.  Seeing you as I do now, I know that she would have been proud of you."

          "I wish I had known her," Niklas whispered.

          "I wish you had known her too," Schwarz said.  "You'll do the right thing for Karla because you love her."

          "I will talk to her," Niklas said.

          "Perhaps you should," Schwarz said.

          "I must work on her gundam.  Anything else will have to wait for a while.  Good bye, Schwarz," Niklas said.

          "Good bye, Niklas, and good luck," Schwarz said.  He blended in with the shadows and was gone.

          Niklas pulled out a small, handheld device, pressed a few buttons and a display came up on the screen as he approached Midnight Gundam.  It showed the location of the parts he was modifying.

          Karla turned off the listening device.  She thought it was odd that Schwarz hadn't removed it from his coat's pocket.  He knew it was there as she had told him.  She saw Niklas out in the hangar working on her gundam and then smiled.  Turning away from the window, Karla went to get dressed.  A few minutes later, she pulled on her mask and left the hangar to take a walk and stretch her legs.

          A van came around the corner, its side door open as it stopped and Karla was pulled into the van.  The door was slammed shut and a black bag pulled over her head.

          "Hey! Who are you and where are you taking me?" Karla demanded.

          "That is none of your concern," a man said in German.  "Do it," he said to someone else.

          Karla felt a needle stick her arm and shortly, she lost consciousness.

          A mobile phone rang a few minutes later.  The man who had spoken to Karla asked, "What do you want us to do with her?" The man listened for a moment before replying, "We'll bring her to you."

          The van drove across town, pulled into an underground garage, stopped and several men took Karla's unconscious body out of the van.  One of these men handed the man with the mobile phone a wad of cash.  The man took the cash, closed the door and the van drove away.

          Karla woke some time later, found that she was tied to a chair and whoever was holding her had taken her mask.

          "I see you're awake," a familiar voice said.

          Karla looked up and found herself facing the Neo-German chancellor.  Her lips pursed into a straight line and her eyes narrowed in anger.

          "Why am I here?" Karla asked.

          "I wanted to speak to you.  I understand that you have assisted our nation's fighter, Schwarz Bruder."

          "Yes, so?" Karla asked.

          "I thought that might fall into the category of treason," von Geist said.

          "What are you going to do about it?" Karla asked.  "Haven't you already sacrificed me to the Neo-Austrians?!"

          Von Geist backhanded Karla.  "Whore! You have disgraced our family enough! Why add treason to your list of crimes?"

          "Humph! You know nothing about the bigger picture, father.  There is more at stake in this gundam fight than the honor of our family and your political reputation!" Karla replied.

          "How dare you!" von Geist exclaimed.  He backhanded Karla again.  "You have no right to speak to me of my family name or its reputation!"

          Karla's brow furrowed in anger.  She whispered sibilantly, "There is something called the Dark Gundam out there, father.  It's malevolent, pervasive, and doesn't care if it destroys the Earth."

          Von Geist sat in the chair behind his desk and turned to face her.  "I have heard the rumors of such a monster, but I don't think there is any substance to them.  I can't believe that you would accept these unsubstantiated stories as the truth."

          Karla said, "I believe in the existence of the Dark Gundam because I have seen the monster and the unbelievable damage that it is capable of doing first hand."  She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

          Von Geist stood and left the room.  A young man entered, untied Karla and gave her a glass of water.  Karla looked up and found her younger brother was the one helping her.  "Wolfgang, why are you here?"

          "I'm here because I care about you, even if he doesn't.  Mother is angry that he abandoned you to the Neo-Austrians and even threatened to leave him," Wolfgang said.

          Karla inhaled sharply.  "Is she really going through with it?"

          Wolfgang shrugged.  "I doubt it.  I think she did it to try and persuade him not to let them do more to you than they already have."

          "I see," Karla said.  She picked up her mask from her father's desk.

          "How are you faring in the gundam fight?" Wolfgang asked.

          "I made it to the finals, now all I have to do is survive them," Karla replied.  She drank the water and added, "Danke, Wolfgang."

          "You're welcome," Wolfgang replied.

          "Good-bye, Wolfgang," Karla said as she walked past him and vanished.

          As Karla left the Neo-German embassy, she wondered why her father had wanted to speak to her.  With a shrug, she walked over to a train station where she found a map of Neo-Hong Kong and she traced her finger over the route she would follow to return to the Neo-Austrian hangar.

          Heinrich von Geist watched as his estranged daughter left the embassy.  He had seen the anger, the bitterness and the sadness in her eyes when she looked at him.

          Without turning around, von Geist asked, "Is it in place?"

          "Yes.  You can monitor her every move using the device I sent you.  Has it arrived?" a man replied over a video link.

          "Yes.  Danke," von Geist replied.

          "This will give your fighter the advantage over her when they meet in battle," the man said.

          "Good.  I have seen to it that the agreed upon amount has been transferred to your account, Herr Ulube.  Neo-Germany appreciates your assistance in this matter," von Geist said.


	15. Dark Plot Phase 4 Claus' Machinations

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 15

By:  Diane Maher

          Karla waited inside Midnight Gundam as the fighters who were to take part in the final round of the gundam fight were introduced.  She listened as each gundam and its fighter was introduced and the emcee gave some background information on them.  She wondered what Claus had authorized them to say about her.  The next thing she knew was that it was her turn next.

          The doors opened and Midnight Gundam rode on its platform down towards the white tiled battle ring where the fighters and gundams were gathered.  Karla was amazed at the size of the crowd gathered for the opening ceremonies marking the start of the final round of the gundam fight.

          Karla watched the members of the Shuffle Alliance closely as the ceremony continued.  She activated her gundam's scanners and panned the suites set aside for the colony leaders.  She glimpsed Niklas as he stood at the window of the Neo-Austrian suite.  The image zoomed in and she saw his face clearly.

          "When the gundam fight is over, we'll be able to be together, Niklas," Karla said.

          In the background, she saw Claus making a fool of himself drinking and making advances on his secretary who was just as bad as he was.

          "You two deserve each other," Karla commented snidely.

          She watched as Niklas rolled his eyes, turned back towards Claus and probably said something.  When Niklas turned back to the window, he appeared frustrated and angry.

          Niklas was in the Presidential suite along with Claus and the other members of the Neo-Austrian staff and security.  He watched from the window as Midnight Gundam was introduced and noticed that not much was said about Karla or the gundam's abilities.  Hopefully, Karla wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security because of this.

          "Niklas, come have some food and beer to celebrate our making it to the finals," Claus said.

          "No thanks, I'm not really hungry or thirsty right now," Niklas replied coolly without turning away from the window.  He watched in the window's reflection as Claus shrugged and pulled his secretary closer.

          "Your loss, the food is delicious and the beer is excellent," Claus said.

          "What are you up to, Claus?" Niklas asked as he turned to stare at Claus.  "I've never seen you this happy."

          "That's Mister President Claus to you," the secretary said in a slurred voice.

          Claus stopped stuffing his face long enough to reply, "I'm not up to anything, Niklas.  I am quite pleased with the fact that Midnight Gundam is in the finals.  It's the first time Neo-Austria has ever made it to the finals."

          Niklas frowned and turned to look at Claus sidelong.  _And it only took the destruction of one woman's life to make it happen!_ Niklas thought angrily.

          He turned his attention back to the opening ceremonies marking the start of the final round of the gundam fight.  He listened as Domon Kasshu made his declaration to win every one of his matches.  Shaking his head in amazement, Niklas muttered, "Arrogant fool."

          Once the torch was lit by the impressive moves of Domon Kasshu and Master Asia, the fighters dispersed.  Before leaving to return to the hangar, Niklas went into the bathroom.  While there, he heard several of the men in the next room talking to the monitor.  At one point, he heard a woman's voice moan, "Oh, Niklas!"

          Niklas' brow furrowed in anger as he thought, _That's Karla's voice!_ When he was finished, he zipped his fly, flushed the toilet and washed his hands.  As he left the bathroom and walked towards the door to leave, he passed by the room where the men were watching footage of him and Karla making love.  _This is the last straw!_ Niklas' eyes narrowed in anger and his hands clenched into fists as he heard their catcalls and their sleazy desires to be the ones making love to Karla.  Without a word, he walked out of the Presidential suite and slammed the door behind him.

          Niklas walked down the stairs to street level.  As he merged with the crowd his mind wandered back to what he had witnessed in the suite.  It never occurred to him that Claus would bug their quarters here in Neo-Hong Kong.  He felt sick to his stomach.  If Karla knew about this, she might go ballistic or worse, she might lose her confidence all over again.  Niklas knew that he couldn't allow that to happen.  He would examine their quarters for surveillance devices when he returned.

          In the Neo-Germany suite, Chancellor Heinrich von Geist sat in front of the window and watched with interest as the Neo-Austrian gundam was introduced.  He looked at the device in his hand and went through the various surveillance options available.  He listened as Karla talked to herself and smiled.  He was also able to monitor the functionality of her gundam.  He said, "With this device, I can ensure that our fighter knows everything about his opponents and their gundams beforehand.  All we need to do is inject the fighters he will face with the appropriate solution."

          "Is that why you brought Karla here, to make her a guinea pig?" Wolfgang asked.

          "Partially," von Geist replied.  "I brought her here because she is an obstacle that Schwarz must overcome to win the gundam fight for Neo-Germany.  I will be the new ruler of Earth and space."

          "Mother will not come to see you if you are going to be like this," Wolfgang commented.  He turned to leave, paused and asked, "Will the injection hurt Karla?"

          "If your mother wants to be like that, fine," von Geist said.  "As far as I know, the injection will not harm Karla."

          "She still loves you, you know," Wolfgang said.

          "I know your mother still loves me, she just doesn't agree with how I handled the situation with Karla," von Geist replied.

          Wolfgang shook his head, and left to return to his room.  When he entered, he reached for the light switch, flipped it up and found that the lights weren't working.  He closed the door and was about to open the drapes.

          "So the Chancellor has made Karla a guinea pig.  What is he planning?" a voice asked from the shadows.

          "To rule Earth and all of space," Wolfgang replied.  "He wants to make sure that you win all your matches, Schwarz."

          "I will do what I must.  Please find out what you can about how he intends to cheat," Schwarz said.

          "He got some technology from someone that will allow him to know the status of every fighter, even when they are in their machine," Wolfgang said.

          "Who did he get it from?" Schwarz asked.

          Wolfgang shook his head.  "I don't know.  Von Geist said something about being able to hear what Karla said to herself inside her gundam."

          Schwarz inhaled sharply.  "But that's..."

          "Impossible?" Wolfgang shrugged.  "It seems that you're going to be capable of doing the impossible, reading the minds of your opponents."

          "I don't need a crutch to win my battles," Schwarz said.

          "I know that.  I'll try and keep you updated on my father's plans," Wolfgang said.

          "Danke, Wolfgang," Schwarz said as he merged with the shadows once more.

          At the Neo-Austrian hangar, Niklas scoured their living quarters for any hidden bugs.  He found quite a few microphones and several tiny cameras.  He placed a tiny device on each of them and then went and pressed a button.  Several hisses were heard as each device was rendered inoperative by an electromagnetic pulse.  Niklas was about to collect them up and throw them away when he heard the sound of Midnight Gundam approaching.

          Niklas went to greet Karla.  He looked up at Midnight Gundam and smiled with pride.  The new coating he had put onto the gundam made it look shiny and impressive.  He was more impressed with Karla as she climbed out of the cockpit and lowered the platform to the floor.  She had been through a great deal to get to where she was now.

          "Hi Niklas!" Karla called as she stepped off the platform.

          "Karla," Niklas replied.  "You and Midnight Gundam looked great during the opening ceremonies."

          "Thanks.  You looked like you were angry at Claus," Karla commented.  "I was watching you with the scanners."

          Niklas frowned.  "I am angry at Claus.  He's almost as arrogant as Domon Kasshu."

          "You think so?" Karla asked as they headed for the living quarters.  When they entered, she saw the detection equipment sitting next to the door.  "What's this?"

          Niklas replied, "I was checking for surveillance devices.  I don't trust Claus."

          "Good idea.  I don't trust him either," Karla said.  "Did you find any?"

          "What?" Niklas asked, suddenly nervous.

          "Did you find any listening devices?" Karla repeated.

          "Um, yes, I did and several cameras.  I have neutralized them all.  I was getting ready to remove them when you returned," Niklas replied.

          Karla went and sat on the bed, removed her mask and after thinking for a minute, exclaimed, "That perverted scum, he's been filming me sleeping with you?!"

          Niklas leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest and nodded.  "I agree that Claus is untrustworthy.  That's why I decided to check for bugs."

          Karla pulled on her mask, stood and said, "Excuse me, I'll be back."

          Niklas shrugged.  He saw the angry look in her expression and wasn't about to get in her way now.

          Karla went to the Neo-Austrian embassy where Claus and his staff were staying.  She drove her corelander inside the gate, parked and entered the building.  Claus' secretary tried to stop her, but Karla stormed into Claus' office.

          "Ah, Karla.  What do you want?" Claus asked smoothly.

          "You scum! You've been preparing for a second public humiliation of me?" Karla demanded.  Her hands gripped the desk and she slipped a listening device there that blended in with the surface of the desk.

          Claus' innocent mask slipped onto his face.  "Why, no Karla.  What ever gave you that idea?"

          "Don't play the innocent with me, scum! Niklas found the listening and recording devices," Karla replied.

          "What makes you think that he didn't put them there in the first place?" Claus asked as he folded his hands and placed them on top of the desk.  "After all, he's a mechanic.  Wouldn't he have the necessary equipment to do that sort of thing?"

          Karla thought for a moment before replying, "Niklas has been honest with me, unlike you."

          Claus smiled.  "But he has the ability and the proximity needed to plant the devices, surely you can't deny that?"

          "I never did.  Niklas doesn't have any reason to do such a thing," Karla replied.

          Claus leaned forward, pressed a button and whispered, "Oh? Well, Niklas gave us this.  Turn around and watch."

          A section of wall slid down and a flat screen was revealed.  Karla watched in horror as footage of her making love to Niklas was shown.  Her eyes widened in shock and her jaw dropped beneath her mask.  "Not again!" she whispered.  Upset, Karla left Claus' office and returned to the Neo-Austrian hangar.


	16. Dark Plot Phase 5 Starting Towards the F

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 16

By:  Diane Maher

          Claus went to see Prime Minister Wong shortly after Karla ran out of his office and left the embassy.  When he was admitted to Wong's office, Claus was surprised to see Master Asia there as well.  He wanted to make sure he knew whom Karla would fight next.  He had his own agenda to advance.

          "Ah! President Stromberg of Neo-Austria, what can I do for you?" Wong asked.

          "I am here to see who my fighter will face in her next battles," Claus replied.

          "Hmmm," Wong said.  He pressed some buttons on the arm of his chair.  "It seems that your fighter hasn't been defeated yet.  Impressive."

          "Yes.  I want to make sure that we have good matches," Claus said.

          "But is that your only reason to come here?" Wong asked.

          "No.  I have a specific fighter that I want Karla to face in her next match and I'd like you to arrange it for me," Claus said.

          "Who would that be?" Master Asia asked.

          "George de Sand of Neo-France," Claus replied.

          "Do you have any particular reason for choosing Neo-France?" Master asked.

          "You mean as opposed to asking for Domon Kasshu of Neo-Japan?" Claus asked in reply.

          "Yes.  The Neo-France fighter is good, but not as good as Domon," Master replied.

          "I have my reasons.  Karla and this fighter have fought several times in the past," Claus said.

          Wong leaned forward and his sunglasses slid down his nose slightly as he looked down at the floor where he kept the statues of all the remaining combatants and considered what Claus was asking.  He looked up, calmly pushed his glasses further up on his nose and said, "Very well, I think it would be an excellent fight.  I'll see to it.  Do you have any further requests?"

          "If she survives her fight with George de Sand, then I would like to see her fight against the Neo-Switzerland fighter," Claus said with a sidelong glance toward Master Asia.

          "If they both make it that far, then consider it done.  Are you hoping to fight against Burning Gundam?" Wong asked.

          "He is climbing up the other side of the competition ladder, is he not?" Claus asked.

          "Yes," Wong replied.

          "If Karla survives her matches and gets to the finals, then yes, she will fight against Neo-Japan," Claus replied.  "After all, he boasted that he would win all of his matches."

          "Domon would be a worthy opponent," Master said.

          "I'm more concerned about meeting up with Schwarz Bruder of Neo-Germany.  If Midnight Gundam wins all those matches and then is able to defeat Schwarz, she will be ready to fight against Domon."

          Master inclined his head.  "I agree with Mister President.  His fighter has done well to get this far, but she will have to continue winning to advance much further."

          Karla has made it past the second round by beating her opponents swiftly.  Her opponents were each to fight against Kyral of Neo-Nepal next but they were found assassinated.  She needed to get some fresh air after meditating for several hours after her encounter with Claus at the embassy.  She hadn't spoken with Niklas yet as he was checking out Midnight Gundam when she returned and she knew to leave him alone when he was doing that.  She left the hangar again and watched from the shadows of the old man's boat as Domon Kasshu practiced in Burning Gundam following his fight with Sijiema of Neo-India.

          "I see you're feeling better, Domon," Karla said.

          "Who's there?" Domon asked.

          Karla walked out of the shadows.  "Over here!" she called.  Burning Gundam's head turned towards her and its green eyes flashed.

          "You're the Neo-Austrian fighter.  What are you doing here?" Domon asked.

          "I'm watching you train," Karla replied.

          Domon put on his street clothes, opened the cockpit door and jumped out of the gundam.

          "How long have you been here?" Domon asked.

          "Long enough," Karla replied.  "Come at me."

          "What?" Domon asked, confused.

          "Come at me and prove that you are a worthy opponent!" Karla shouted.

          Domon growled as he charged her.  Karla was able to easily dodge his fists.  She balled her right hand into a fist and swung it into his stomach.

          Domon fell to his knees; the wind had been knocked out of him and he coughed.  He quickly got up and Karla jumped up and kicked him on his right shoulder.

          "Ahhh!" Domon cried out in pain.

          Karla stopped her attack.  "It seems that you aren't as healed as you thought you were."

          "What's going on here?" a female voice called out from behind her.

          Karla turned and saw Rain.  "Nothing.  We were doing some sparring, that's all," Karla replied.

          Rain knelt next to Domon who was holding his sore shoulder.  "Did you have to hurt him?"

          Karla walked over to where Domon sat on the ground.  "I didn't hurt him," she replied.

          "Don't worry, Rain, this is left over from my match with Sijiema.  I thought I was healed, but it seems I'm not as good as I thought I was," Domon said with a weak grin on his face.

          A gundam came out of the water then and said, "Domon Kasshu, I will destroy you!"

          "Who is that?" Rain asked.

          "Who are you?" Domon asked.

          "I don't need to tell you, if you don't already know," the man in the mysterious gundam said.

          Karla snapped her fingers and called her gundam.  A moment later, she was ready for battle.

          The mysterious gundam said, "I'm not here to fight you, Neo-Austria," the man said.  "I am here to fight Neo-Japan!"

          "Too bad, Neo-Switzerland, I will be your opponent today!" Karla shouted.

          A picture came on her screen.  It was Claus.  He asked, "What are you doing, Karla?"

          "I'm going to fight the Neo-Switzerland fighter," Karla replied.

          "No, you won't!" Claus ordered.  "You have a more important battle later tonight!"

          Karla glared at Claus.  The screen returned to normal and she saw her opponent standing there.

          "What is this? Aren't you going to fight me, Neo-Austria?" the Neo-Swiss fighter asked.  He looked to one side and a moment later, his gundam shot up into the night sky and disappeared.

          "It would seem not," Karla said, mystified.

          Niklas' face appeared on the screen.  "Karla, you must return here.  I need to finish checking out Midnight Gundam before your next fight."

          "Who am I fighting?" Karla asked.

          "George de Sand of Neo-France," Niklas replied.

          "Okay, I'll be back shortly," Karla said.  The screen returned to normal and she looked down at Domon and Rain.  "Good bye, Domon, Rain.  I must prepare for my next battle in the gundam fight later tonight."

          "What was that all about?" Rain asked.

          "I don't know.  She said that she was watching me as I worked out.  I never found out why," Domon replied.

          Rain went inside the boat, and over to where her laptop sat on the table.  She input a query and when she looked up, Domon stood next to her.  "She's fighting against George!"

          "So?" Domon asked.

          "You forgot about what has transpired between those two on the battlefield?" Rain asked.

          Domon shook his head.  "I see what you mean.  I hope George wins."

          Karla turned and Midnight Gundam took off to return to its hangar.  As she climbed out of the cockpit a short while later, she saw Niklas and remembered what Claus had said about him.  She had to talk to him, to know the truth of the matter.  She rode the platform down to where he stood waiting for her.

          "Niklas, I need to ask you something," Karla said as they relaxed on the couch.  She pulled off her mask.

          "Ask away, love," Niklas said.

          "I went to the Neo-Austrian embassy earlier.  I was really mad about Claus having those surveillance devices in our room," Karla said.  Her voice was a whisper when she continued, "He...he told me...that you put them there and that you gave him the footage of you and I making love."

          Niklas' brow furrowed.  "He what?!? You didn't believe him, did you?"

          Karla looked down into her lap.  "I'm sorry, Niklas.  I don't know what to believe.  I need to know the truth from you.  Did you install those cameras and microphones?"

          Niklas replied, "No, Karla.  I have no reason to install anything of that nature, especially in our bedroom.  Come with me.  I want to show you something."  He stood and left the room, with her following.  He went to the computer room, sat to the computer and pulled up footage from another camera.

          "What's this?" Karla asked.

          "This is a security camera I installed in the hangar so I could see if anyone tried to tamper with Midnight Gundam," Niklas replied.

          Karla watched as several men entered the hangar and went into the living quarters.  "Who are they?"

          Niklas typed in a command and the view switched to night vision.  He zoomed in on the men and Karla gasped in recognition.  "Who are they?" he asked.

          "Those men are Claus' security guards!" Karla replied.

          "Look at their hands," Niklas said.

          "They are carrying bundles of electronics," Karla whispered.  "Claus lied to me!"

          "Did you expect anything different from Claus?" Niklas asked.

          Karla looked at Niklas.  "I suppose not.  I'm sorry that I doubted you."

          "I'm glad that you asked me.  I want you to be able to trust me," Niklas said.  "After all, we are a team, aren't we?"

          Karla hugged Niklas and tears rolled down her cheeks.  "Yes Niklas, we are a team.  Thank you for showing me this."

          "Are you ready to face George de Sand?" Niklas asked.

          Karla pulled back from him and replied, "Yes.  I am ready to face him one last time."


	17. Dark Plot Phase 6 Activation Karla vs G

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 17

By:  Diane Maher

          Karla stood on the roof of the Neo-Austrian hangar and felt the cool evening breeze on her hands.  Soon she and Niklas would head for the ring and she would face George de Sand of Neo-France once more.  She hoped that the battle would be a good one.  Her cell phone vibrated.  She reached down, removed it from its clip on her belt and pressed the button to answer the call.

          "Karla, would you come to the cockpit for a minute?" Niklas asked.  "I need a hand with something."

          "Sure, I'll be right down," Karla replied.  She pressed the button to turn off the phone, replaced it in its clip and headed for the door to go back to the hangar below.

          A few minutes later, Karla climbed into the cockpit.  She asked, "What do you need, Niklas?"

          "Hold up this panel while I do some delicate micro-welding inside," Niklas replied.

          Karla did as he asked and watched as he finished.  "What is that?"

          "It's a new weapon.  It will be very useful in your fight with George tonight," Niklas said.  "It's a variation of your obsidian stars."

          "Good.  Tell me how it works on the way to the match," Karla said as he finished and she closed the panel.

          "Is it time to go?" Niklas asked.

          "Yes," Karla replied.  "I'll help you get your tools out of here."

          "Thanks," Niklas replied when they were finished a few minutes later.

          Karla climbed into the cockpit and headed for the ring up in the mountains.

          Wolfgang managed to hack into his father's recent email messages.  He found an email from a Major Ulube to his father that gave the details of the technology being purchased from Ulube by his father.  He wondered who the heck Major Ulube was.  It was a strange sounding name.

          Wolfgang contacted Schwarz who returned to the building where the Neo-German delegation is staying.

          "Wolfgang?" Schwarz asked as he came out of the shadows in the corner of the room.

          "Schwarz, I know who supplied the technology to my father," Wolfgang said.

          "Who?" Schwarz asked.

          "Someone named Major Ulube," Wolfgang replied.

          Schwarz inhaled sharply.  "Ulube? I should have known!"

          "Who is this Major Ulube?" Wolfgang asked, mystified.

          Schwarz crossed his arms over his chest and replied, "Major Ulube is the commander of Neo Japan's gundam development team."

          "Neo-Japan?" Wolfgang whispered, incredulous.  "Oh, I also learned that the injections which are to be given to the fighters opposing you contain nanobots."

          "And that is how your father plans to monitor the bodies of the other fighters?" Schwarz asked.

          "Jawohl.  Here's the rest of the information given to him by Ulube," Wolfgang replied, handing him an electronic tablet.

          Schwarz read the specifications quickly.  "Karla was injected with these?"

          "Yes," Wolfgang replied quietly.  "Will they hurt her?"

          "Oh no!" Schwarz whispered.  "I must get to the ring! Karla is fighting tonight!"

          Schwarz left before replying to his question and Wolfgang was suddenly very concerned for his older sister's well-being.  He tuned the television to the channel that was airing the gundam fights and waited for the match to begin.

          George de Sand sipped some tea as he waited for the time to leave for his match against Neo-Austria today.

          "Are you ready for the match, George?" Domon asked.

          George turned and saw Domon standing there.  "Of course, I'm ready."

          "The Neo-Austrian fighter was watching me practice earlier.  She even sparred with me for a few minutes.  She's a strong fighter, don't underestimate her," Domon said.

          "I won't," George said.  "See you later."

          "Good luck," Domon replied.

          As Karla stood in the ring waiting for her opponent to arrive, she scanned the crowd to see who was here to watch.  She noticed that her estranged father was here and wondered what scheme he was hatching.  Claus and his entourage were also watching from the platform beneath Niklas.  The members of the Shuffle Alliance were also here to cheer for Neo-France.  The Gundam Rose approached the ring at that moment.

          "Niklas, are you ready?" Karla asked.

          "Yes Karla.  Midnight Gundam is also ready," Niklas replied.

          "Good," Karla said.

          "Glad to see you made it, Mademoiselle Geist," George said as he scanned the ring from a distance.

          Karla replied, "I made it to the finals, George de Sand and I intend to win the championship!"

          "Not if I have anything to say about that!" George replied, his tone confident.

          The emcee's voice was heard over the loudspeaker a few minutes later.  "Gundam Rose of Neo-France has arrived! Both combatants are in the ring!"

          An image of Prime Minister Wong appeared in the night sky over the ring.  He said, "Gundam fight all set, ready, GO!"

          The two gundams clashed in the ring, their pilots charged up and already fighting furiously.  After several minutes of punching, dodging, and attempts to kick and trip each other, George pulled out his saber and Gundam Rose stepped back from Midnight Gundam.  The sky was almost completely dark.

          "So you're going to get serious now?" Karla asked.

          "I thought it would be a good idea.  I was starting to get bored," George replied.

          "Your attempt to get me angry won't work," Karla said as she activated her twin midnight swords.

          After a minute of furious dueling, Karla and George stepped back from one another.

          "You have been a worthy opponent, but this fight must end now!" George shouted.  "Rose bits!"

          "This is the fight I wanted to have with you the first time we met," Karla replied.  "Obsidian shards!"

          "The Rose Bits and Obsidian Shards basically cancel each other out," Niklas said.  "However, it is still a successful test of the shards."

          "No matter, at least they took out those annoying rose bits," Karla said.

          From a booth reserved for Neo-Germany, Heinrich von Geist sat and powered up his device as the fight started, so it would be ready at just the right instant for him to test.  He now found himself becoming bored and thought, _It's time for me to spice up this battle!_

          Von Geist scrolled through the functions until he found the one that suited him and pressed the button.  He looked up and smiled.  _Ah, a successful test!_ he thought.

          Midnight Gundam froze in place and Niklas watched as Karla fell to her hands and knees.  His fingers danced over the computer panel in front of him as he tried to figure out what had happened.  Gundam Rose had moved further away from Midnight Gundam.

          "What's going on?" Claus asked from below.

          "I don't know! There's nothing mechanically wrong!" Niklas replied anxiously.  He then asked, "Karla, what's happening in there?"

          There was considerable static on the line before Karla replied, "I don't know, Niklas! Everything is going crazy!"

          Niklas checked his instruments again and said, "I've checked again and there's nothing mechanically wrong with the gundam! I'm activating the medical scanner."

          Karla looked up and saw Gundam Rose turn and head towards her once more.  She managed through sheer willpower to get Midnight Gundam standing.

          "This is the end for Midnight Gundam.  I don't know what happened to her, but George will be victorious in this battle," Domon said.

          "How do you know that?" Schwarz asked from behind him.

          "What are you doing here, Schwarz?" Domon asked.

          "I'm watching this battle, the same as you," Schwarz replied.  "You didn't answer my question."

          "Midnight Gundam has something wrong and if they can't fix it in the next few seconds, Gundam Rose will take her head," Domon replied.  "See he's charging to make his final attack now."

          Karla was able to focus her mind enough to evaluate the instruments in her gundam.  She watched as Gundam Rose stopped short and looked around, confused.  At that instant, she knew that the stealth properties of Midnight Gundam's surface were active and he couldn't see her.

          "Where did she go?" George asked aloud.

          Gundam Rose turned around and swung his saber.  He thought she would be back there.

          Niklas said, "Karla, the medical scans show that there are nanobots in your system.  How did you get nanobots in your system?"

          Karla cursed in German.  "My father must have ordered them put there."

          "What?" Niklas asked.  "When have you been anywhere near your father?"

          "Shortly after our arrival in Neo-Hong Kong, I went out for a walk and was kidnapped.  I was injected with a sleep-inducing drug.  When I woke, I found I had been taken to the Neo-German embassy.  I saw no evidence of DG cells on my body later after returning to our hangar.  I suspect that somehow they can be activated and used against the person they are injected into," Karla replied.

          "But why would your father do this?" Niklas asked.

          "I believe he did it to ensure that the Neo-German fighter can win all his matches.  Once that happened, my father would be the ruler of Earth and space," Karla replied.

          "I see.  That's temptation enough for anyone.  I've just sent a program that should inhibit the nanobots from affecting the functions of the gundam.  As for your body," Niklas said.  "We can't do anything until the match is over."

          Karla looked up and saw Gundam Rose turning gold.  "I hope the program works fast, Niklas.  I can barely stand and George is activating his super mode."

          "He's activating his super mode?" Niklas asked.  "I've done the best I can.  The program is now running."

          "I'll give you whatever extra time I can," Karla said.  She then made several of the ball weapons appear in her hand and threw them at Gundam Rose.  They exploded and enveloped him in a wall of thick black smoke.

          "What is going on in there?" Domon asked.

          Schwarz silently watched as the black smoke enveloped Gundam Rose.  He saw no trace of Midnight Gundam.  Rain was looking around too.

          "Where is Midnight Gundam? She's gone!" Rain said.

          "No.  She's not gone.  She's there, we just can't see her," Schwarz commented.

          "But how is it possible?" Rain asked.

          "There are some things even I do not know," Schwarz said.


	18. Battle Ends Now Karla vs George

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 18

By:  Diane Maher

          George de Sand wondered what was happening to Midnight Gundam.  He had backed away following their fierce fencing match only to catch his breath.  Despite whatever ailed Karla's gundam, he charged toward her, saber at the ready, intending to finish this match, once and for all.  An instant later, his Gundam Rose was enveloped in a thick, black smoke.  He stopped his charge and considered what Karla would try to do now.  He turned around and swiped his saber behind him, thinking that Midnight Gundam was behind him.  However, he hit nothing.

          He remembered his match in London against the Neo-England fighter, Chapman and how disastrous it had ended.  Lucky for him, he had kept his head.  George pressed some buttons in his cockpit and tried to use his scanners to penetrate the smoke and find Midnight Gundam.  He turned a full circle and saw nothing.

          George considered his situation.  His problem was the smoke.  "If only I could get rid of the smoke somehow," he muttered aloud.

          He then remembered the saber he held in his hand.  If he could spin it fast enough, perhaps he could clear enough of the smoke so he could see Midnight Gundam.  He shrugged and started spinning the arm holding the saber.  After several minutes, the smoke began to dissipate.  In front of him, all he saw was the night sky.  He reactivated his gundam's super mode.

          Karla waited silently as Niklas' nanobot inhibition program worked through the systems of her gundam.  Her external camouflage was active with or without the smoke.  While she waited, she remembered that she felt similar to this during her training with Schwarz in the Guiana Highlands.  There would be little time for her to rest if the smoke dissipated soon.

          Niklas said, "The program is finished and Midnight Gundam's system is clear of all nanobot activity."

          "I must finish the fight now," Karla whispered as the smoke in front of her began to move.

          "I agree.  Do what you must Karla," Niklas said.

          Karla took a deep breath and exhaled as Gundam Rose walked through into the open and turned gold.  She saw the saber stop spinning and knew this would be her best chance to attack George.  She charged toward him and used a similar move to the one she had used to hit Schwarz back in the cave in the Guiana Highlands.  Her left hand blocked Gundam Rose's right hand to prevent the saber from hitting her.  Her right fist slammed into her opponent's stomach and then into his face.

          Stunned, Gundam Rose stumbled.  Karla used this opportunity to get behind him and trip him with her manriki kusari.  As George fell, Karla activated both of her midnight swords and stabbed them through Gundam Rose's shoulders.  His legs were tied up; he couldn't move and his super mode deactivated as the gundam returned to its normal colors.  Karla deactivated her stealth system and was visible once more.

          The smoke finally cleared enough for the spectators and the emcee to see what was going on.  Her ship had circled the area several times.  "It seems like the winner of this match is Midnight Gundam!"

          "I wonder what happened to George," Domon said.  "It's not like him to lose to such a weak opponent."

          "Karla won the match," Schwarz said.  "She is far stronger than most people think."

          "How would you know?" Domon asked.

          "You weren't the only one I was training in the Guiana Highlands," Schwarz replied before he turned and walked away.  He watched as Karla left the ring and headed for the Neo-Austrian hangar and thought, _I am looking forward to fighting against you, Karla von Geist._  He headed for the Neo-German embassy.  There were a couple of things left for him to do.

          Schwarz secretly made his way into the Neo-German embassy.  He went to see Wolfgang.  However, as Schwarz stood outside the door leading to Wolfgang's room, he heard the sound of a feminine giggle.  He shrugged and left before he was discovered.  Nothing useful would be gained from the young man tonight.  Instead, he returned to his hangar and made a call.

          Niklas said, "Congratulations on winning your match against Neo-France, Karla."

          "Thanks Niklas.  Now let's see about getting rid of these blasted nanobots in my body," Karla replied.

          Niklas headed back to the hangar.  He would have to examine Karla more thoroughly to determine how to get rid of the nanobots.  When Karla returned to the hangar, he met her and they headed for the room that served as their medical facility.  Karla changed clothes and lay on the examination table.  Niklas set up a scan to determine what kind of nanobots were in her body.

          A scanning instrument moved over her body and then Niklas said, "It's finished, you can get up now."

          Karla got up and went to stand behind Niklas who sat at the computer console looking at the information from the scan.  "Well?" she asked.

          "It seems to be a new type of nanobot.  I think I better get some blood samples from you too, so I can run tests on them to see how to disable and destroy them.  Why don't I call Rain and see if she'll come take the samples for me?"

          Karla nodded silently.  "I'm going to take a nap.  That battle was more tiring than it seemed."

          "I'll wake you when Rain arrives," Niklas said.  He then put a call through to the Neo-Japan team.  An hour later, Rain arrived and Niklas met her at the door.

          "Thanks for coming, Rain," Niklas said.

          "You're not still infected with DG cells, are you?" Rain asked.

          "No.  I need you to take some of Karla's blood for me.  I need to do some analyses."

          "She's not infected with DG cells, is she?" Rain asked.

          "No, I just need the blood to run a few tests.  I saw some anomalies during the battle today and I am concerned," Niklas replied.

          Rain shrugged.  "Okay Niklas."

          As Rain was taking Karla's blood, there was a knock at the door.  Niklas answered it and found and older man standing there.

          "Good evening, Herr Bruder," the man said.  "I am a doctor sent by Schwarz Bruder to assist you with whatever ails your fighter."

          Niklas' brow rose in surprise.  "Come in, I have another doctor tending to our fighter now."

          They went into the room where Rain was just packing up her medical kit.

          "Niklas, will you get some orange juice for Karla since I took the blood from her?" Rain asked.  "Here are the blood samples you wanted."

          "Thank you, Rain," Niklas replied.  "I'll get Karla some orange juice."

          Rain left to return to the Neo-Japan hangar, Niklas went to get some orange juice and the doctor started the task of working out what type of nanobots were in Karla's body and how to deactivate and destroy them without harming Karla.

          When Niklas returned, he handed the glass to Karla who drank it.

          "Thanks Niklas, I'm just going to rest here, if you and the doctor don't need me," Karla said.

          "You rest.  I'm going to help the doctor and we're going to deal with the nanobots once and for all," Niklas replied.

          It was several hours before Niklas and the doctor came up with the answers they sought.  The doctor was able to synthesize a compound that dissolved the nanobots without harming the blood.  He explained that it would take overnight to make enough of the compound to clean out all the nanobots from Karla's body.  Niklas shrugged and decided to go to bed as it was late.  Karla had left some time ago to meditate.  He imagined that she was in bed now.

          An hour later, Niklas and Karla lay in bed, satisfied after their lovemaking.

          "I'm so happy when I'm with you, Niklas," Karla whispered.

          Niklas replied, "I'm glad.  I love you for who you are, not who you were, Karla."

          "I don't have to hide my true self from you and it's wonderful," Karla said.

          "It is.  Perhaps you'll tell me what the Neo-Austrians did to you that made you withdraw into yourself and put on a mask to hide your identity?" Niklas asked.

          Karla turned away from him, closed her eyes and cried into the pillow.

          Niklas said, "I'm sorry if I upset you, Karla.  I didn't mean to.  I only want to help you to come to terms with whatever happened to you."

          "Pick up the remote on the nightstand and press play.  You'll see what I was talking about before," Karla replied.  "What they did to me..."

          Niklas picked up the remote, pressed the play button and a monitor on the wall came to life.  There were two people completely naked and engrossed in making love on the screen.  Nothing of their bodies was hidden from the cameras.  When there was a close up of the woman's face a moment later, he realized that this was Karla.  "This is the recording you were telling me about!"

          A sniffle came from next to him.  "Yes," Karla whispered.  "I am so embarrassed that this footage exists.  I had no knowledge that I was being filmed.  They made sure that I had a copy of this so I wouldn't forget how I got into this situation."

          "The man is Claus," Niklas said.  He watched as Claus reached up and stroked her breasts and then, several men burst into their room, grabbed Karla, yanked her off Claus and pushed her against the wall spread eagle.

          Niklas was horrified as he watched one of the officers sexually assault Karla a few minutes later after everyone else had left.  He saw tears streaming down her face, and when it was all over, Niklas saw the look of utter despair on Karla's face on the screen.  Next to him, he heard Karla weeping.

          Niklas watched as the man then marched a subdued and silent Karla outside where presumably the police van waited to take her to jail.  She was still naked.  They didn't even allow her to get dressed.

          "Mein Gott, how horrible!" Niklas whispered as he pressed the stop button on the remote.  "I'm sorry that he did that to you, Karla."

          Karla lay on her side facing away from him and replied, "It's not your fault, Niklas.  I tried to fight back, but when he pointed the gun at my head and threatened to shoot me, I had little choice in the matter.  I may be a ninja, but when I was stark naked with my hands cuffed behind me, I was as helpless as anyone.  Please don't leave me."

          "Why do you think I would leave you?" Niklas asked.

          "Like my father, you probably think I didn't try hard enough to get away," Karla whispered.  She sat up, but couldn't look at Niklas' face.

          "No, I saw you try to defend yourself.  Your father is a fool if he couldn't see that.  I love you and want to comfort you if I can," Niklas said.  "I won't leave you."

          "Danke, Niklas.  Please hold me!" Karla whispered.

          Niklas took Karla into his arms and held her.  She trembled as he stroked her hair and then her back.

          "Now you see why my father didn't want anything to do with me," Karla whispered.

          "He saw the whole thing that I just watched?" Niklas asked.

          Karla nodded.  "My father thought I looked like a whore.  It was after this incident that he erased my identity."

          "I'm sorry if I upset you by asking about what they did to you and why you hide behind a mask.  I have some understanding of why you feel the way you do."

          "I never told the complete truth to anyone, not even Schwarz," Karla said.

          Niklas wasn't sure what to say to her.  When she turned and looked at him, he saw the relief in her tear-filled eyes.

          "Now you know the whole truth about me.  I'm glad.  I feel better now that you know," Karla whispered.  "I needed to tell someone the truth about myself."

          Niklas wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her tenderly.  "I'm glad that you feel better for telling me."

          "I don't expect you to pity me," Karla said.  "I brought it on myself by sleeping with Claus in the first place."

          "I'm sorry, Karla.  I don't know what to say to you that won't sound like pity," Niklas said.

          Karla disentangled herself from his arms and lay back on the bed.  Niklas lay next to her, pulled the sheets over both of them and said, "Good night, Karla."

          "Good night, Niklas," Karla replied.  She closed her eyes and fell asleep a few minutes later.

          Niklas looked at Karla as she slept and was amazed at what had been done to her.  He was surprised that she would want to make love with him at all after seeing that footage.  He watched her sleep for a while before he fell asleep.

          When Schwarz went to the Neo-Austrian hangar late that night, he knew that Karla had overcome most of her barriers since he first met her.  He looked in the medical facility and saw the doctor asleep on a cot.  He wanted a fair fight between them when they fought.  Good, the doctor had been able to assist Niklas and Karla.  Schwarz continued on and as he stealthily moved through the hallway, he heard voices coming from the bedroom.

          Schwarz paused outside the room because of the light from a monitor and listened as Karla and presumably Niklas watched something.  He suspected that Niklas had asked Karla about her arrest by the Neo-Austrians.  From the audio, he realized that it was the footage of Karla's arrest by the Neo-Austrians.  When it stopped, Schwarz heard Karla weeping and realized that it wasn't on the footage, it really was Karla.  He now realized that her arrest by the Neo-Austrians must have been a far worse experience than she had told him.  Niklas tried to comfort Karla before they went to sleep.  From what he could tell, Karla apparently bared her soul to Niklas.  If this cleansed her soul of her remaining fears and apprehensions, Karla would be very strong when they met in battle.  He disappeared into the shadows and left.


	19. Neo Austria vs Neo Switzerland Winner M

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 19

By:  Diane Maher

          The next morning, Karla sat on the cold, stainless steel examination table in the medical room and waited while Niklas and the doctor prepared to rid her body of the nanobots.  She had no idea what they could do to remove them.  She then heard footsteps approach outside the room, pulled on her mask, the door opened and Niklas and the doctor entered.

          "We think we can remove the nanobots from your body, Frau Geist," the doctor said.

          "How?" Karla asked.

          "The doctor synthesized a compound that will, when injected into your body, seek out and dissolve the nanobots," Niklas replied.

          "Will it hurt me?" Karla asked.

          The doctor and Niklas looked at each other.  The doctor replied, "All we know is that neither the compound nor the reaction products seem to harm the blood cells in any way."

          Karla crossed her arms over her chest and said, "In other words, you have no idea."

          "Um, yes," Niklas admitted sheepishly.

          "We won't know until we try it on you," the doctor said.

          Karla lay on the examination table and said, "Let's get it over with.  I guess I'll take one dose and you can scan me to see how well the compound is working."

          "Karla..." Niklas whispered, concerned.

          Karla's voice was soft as she looked at him and said, "Don't worry, Niklas.  I'll be fine."

          Niklas looked at the doctor for a moment, nodded once, turned, lifted her mask slightly and kissed her.  The doctor injected her at the same time.  Niklas pulled back and Karla yawned.  For a few minutes, everything seemed fine.

          "How do you feel?" Niklas asked.

          "I feel...queasy," Karla replied.

          "I think we must allow Karla to rest for a while.  I will stay here and watch her vital signs," the doctor said.

          "Karla, I'm going to work on the gundam.  The modifications you asked me to do are taking a while," Niklas said.

          Karla nodded weakly, yawned and mumbled, "I guess I'm going to sleep while this stuff takes effect."

          "That's probably the best thing for you to do," the doctor said.  "It may take several doses to remove all of the nanobots from your body."

          Over the course of the next four days, Karla watched the gundam fight broadcasts from the medical room in the Neo-Austrian hangar.  The doctor administered the compound two more times before he informed her that the nanobots were gone from her body.

          While Domon Kasshu is fighting against the Shuffle Alliance, Karla knows that her body needs time to recover from the effects of the nanobots.  The cure to dissolve them weakened her body in much the same way as her last bad bout with the flu did.

          At the same time, Claus was in his office at the Neo-Austrian embassy, conducting business as usual.  He was on the phone making the final arrangements for Karla's next fight.  As far as he was concerned, it would be her last fight.  If she survived, he owned her.  If not, he had not lost anything.

          "Thank you, Herr Prime Minister; I'm sure that we won't be disappointed by the fight between Neo-Austria and Neo-Switzerland that is to take place after Domon has finished fighting all the members of the Shuffle Alliance."

          Claus listened for a few moments as Wong said something to him.  He nodded and replied, "Good-bye, Prime Minister Wong."

          Claus hung up the phone, turned and looked out the window.  The sun was setting and he decided to return to the residence.  He wanted to spend a romantic night with his secretary.  As he stood to leave the office, he decided to stop by the hangar and inform Karla of her next opponent.

          His personal bodyguard accompanied Claus as he walked to the presidential limousine.  When he was situated in his car, Claus ordered the driver to take him to the Neo-Austrian hangar.  The car soon came to a stop in front of the building.

          Claus entered the hangar and found Niklas hard at work on Midnight Gundam.  Niklas looked down and saw him.  He stopped what he was doing and came down on the platform.

          "Ah, Niklas!" Claus greeted.

          Niklas frowned and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.  "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

          "Well, that's some greeting for the man who controls Karla's destiny," Claus responded coolly.

          "Humph! You mean the man who ruined her life," Niklas muttered under his breath.

          Claus didn't see the point in arguing with Niklas.  "Where is Karla?"

          "She's resting.  She hasn't felt well lately and the doctor from Neo-Japan recommended that she rest," Niklas said.

          "What happened to Karla?" Claus asked.

          "She isn't feeling well," a voice from behind him replied.

          "Who are you?" Claus asked.  "Come out so I can see you."

          "I am Schwarz Bruder of Neo-Germany," Schwarz replied.

          Claus became nervous.  _What is he doing here?_ "Keep me informed of her condition, Niklas.  Oh by the way, Karla's next match will take place after Domon Kasshu of Neo-Japan finishes fighting the other members of the Shuffle Alliance."

          "Who will Karla fight?" Niklas asked.

          "She is scheduled to fight against Neo-Switzerland," Claus replied.  "I'm sure that it will be an interesting match."  Claus narrowed his eyes as he looked towards Schwarz before turning and leaving.

          When Claus left, Niklas turned to Schwarz and asked, "What are you doing here?"

          "I'm concerned about Karla.  How is she doing?" Schwarz asked in reply.

          "Karla is still recovering, but the doctor believes that she will be well enough to fight," Niklas replied.

          "Good.  I'm glad the doctor could help.  I will be at the fight, but I may not get a chance to speak with Karla beforehand.  She has improved greatly and I expect that she will win this match," Schwarz said.

          "Was there another reason that you came?" Niklas asked.

          "I just wanted to make sure that both of you were safe from Claus and his so-called security," Schwarz replied.  He reached out and touched Niklas' shoulder.  "Your hair is longer.  Does Karla approve?"

          "She hasn't demanded that I cut it yet.  I think she likes it longer," Niklas grinned.  "Thanks for checking on us.  As soon as I finish what I was doing before Claus showed up, I'm going to go see Karla.  She's been sleeping so the compound the doctor administered could do its work."

          "I see.  I'll leave you to your work.  Be careful, Niklas, my son; beware of Claus and Wong," Schwarz said.  He turned and vanished into the shadows.

          After he finished working on the gundam, Niklas went to do his daily check of the recording from the bug in Claus' office.  He recalled the last conversation that Claus had with someone called Master earlier this morning.  He had to play it back several times before he believed what he heard.  Niklas decided to tell Karla about what Claus had said the next morning.

          As Niklas listened to the recording tonight, he heard Claus' end of a phone call with Prime Minister Wong of Neo-Hong Kong.  Niklas' eyes widened with fear as he heard Claus say something about this upcoming match being Karla's last match.  _What did Claus mean? How can he know the outcome of Karla's next match when she hasn't fought it yet?_

          "Karla, I was reviewing the recordings from that bug you planted in Claus' office," Niklas said the next morning.

          "What about it?" Karla asked.

          "Claus mentioned something about the Neo-Swiss gundam being equal to your own Midnight Gundam," Niklas replied.

          "Not just equal, Niklas.  That gundam was Midnight Gundam mark I," Karla said.

          "What? How do you know?" Niklas asked.

          "There was a mysterious gundam that appeared at the Neo-Japan campsite just after you were healed by George," Karla said.  "I used the information on my data card to search the gundam database, past or present and that's when I found out about it being my old gundam."

          Niklas frowned.  He decided not to tell Karla about Claus' latest call to Wong.  There was no reason to worry her before her fight.  He was confident that she could handle herself against any opponent.

          When the day of the fight arrived, and he was atop the Neo-Austrian platform, Niklas looked down at Claus and narrowed his eyes in contempt for an instant before turning his gaze back to the ring where Midnight Gundam stood in anticipation of the match today.

          "This match Between Neo-Switzerland and Neo-Austria will determine who will fight against Neo-Germany in the semi-finals," the emcee said over her public address system.

          "Karla, are you ready?" Niklas asked.

          "Yes," Karla replied softly.

          "Midnight Gundam's systems are ready to go and there's no sign of nanobot activity either there or in your body," Niklas said.

          "Good.  I don't need anyone interfering with my fights," Karla said.  "I fight my own battles."

          "You sound confident, my little sex kitten," her opponent said.

          "What?!?" Karla and Niklas exclaimed simultaneously.

          The pilot of the Neo-Swiss gundam laughed evilly.  Karla's eyes widened as she recognized the man's voice and what he said.  He was the police officer who had sexually assaulted her following her arrest! She remembered being so angry after he called her that when he had finished with her in Claus' apartment.

          Niklas' face appeared on the screen.  He said, "Karla, I want you to ignore what this man is saying and focus on my voice."

          Karla started trembling with fear.  "Nik...las?" she whispered.

          "I want you to focus your mind on beating this man.  If you win this battle, you'll be able to fight Schwarz next.  That's what you've wanted for so long and it's nearly in your grasp."  Niklas shouted, "Listen to me! Karla!"

          Karla blinked.  Prime Minister Wong called, "Gundam fight all set, ready, GO!"

          The Neo-Swiss fighter charged.  Karla moved sluggishly and his sword made contact with her right arm.  This was enough to get her mind into the battle.  She knew she wouldn't make it to the next round if she didn't win.

          Karla pushed away the Neo-Swiss fighter, she charged him and her two swift sword strokes cut off both of his gundam's arms.

          A moment later, green tendrils shot out of the arms of the Neo-Swiss gundam, reattached to the arms that she'd just sliced off, pulled them up and reattached them.

          Karla inhaled sharply.  "It can't be!"

          "What's going on?" Sai Saici asked.

          Domon looked and then cried out, "That fighter has been infected with DG cells!"

          "Karla is in serious danger!" George exclaimed.

          "What can we do? We can't interfere with the fight!" Sai Saici said.

          "She will have to defeat him, one way or another," Argo said.  "She may have to kill him to survive."

          "What is this? How and why did you get infected with DG cells?" Karla asked as she blocked another charge from her opponent, sliced off one of his arms only to have it reattach before her eyes.

          "Infected? No, I was injected with DG cells," the man replied.  "It doesn't matter why."

          "Of course it matters! You're a human being; okay you're a raping scumbag, but you're still a human being," Karla said.

          Niklas came on the side screen and said, "You have to end this match, Karla."

          "How? I am not a Shuffle Alliance member who can eradicate the taint of the Dark Gundam from someone!" Karla exclaimed.

          "True.  You must do what you need to in order to survive," Niklas said.  "Even if it means you attack his cockpit."

          Niklas ceased transmission and Karla moved with a speed only previously demonstrated by Schwarz.  Her midnight sword sliced off the arms of her opponent's gundam and before the tentacles came zipping out of the shoulders to pick them up again, her fist slammed into the cockpit and withdrew the pilot who was entwined in the green tentacles.  Karla sliced the connection between him and the gundam.  The tentacles fell away from him for a moment before new ones shot out of the gundam, yanked him out of her hand and back into the cockpit.

          As the fight between the Neo-Austrian and the Neo-Swiss Gundam raged, Chancellor Heinrich von Geist watched as the Midnight Gundam slowly took control of the fight from the Neo-Swiss.

          "Do you think that Karla has a chance to win this match?" his son Wolfgang asked.

          Von Geist lowered his binoculars, turned to his son and replied, "No."

          "Why not?" Wolfgang demanded.

          Von Geist pulled out a device that he turned on and allowed to warm up.  He pressed a button and waited for Midnight Gundam to stumble and fall like it had before during the fight against Neo-France.

          "Your device no longer functions," Schwarz said from behind him.

          Von Geist turned to face his nation's fighter.  "What do you mean?"

          "They have either removed or destroyed your nanobots," Schwartz replied.

          "That's impossible!" von Geist exclaimed.  When nothing happened, he anxiously pressed the button on the device several more times, to no effect.

          "You will not interfere with the gundam fight anymore.  The skills of each nation's fighters get them to the finals and there they either win or lose.  No outside influence should try to change that," Schwarz said.

          Von Geist gaped at Schwarz who took the device from his hand, dropped it on the floor, and smashed it to pieces under his boot.

          "I hope you're satisfied," von Geist muttered, angry.

          "I will fight one of these fighters in my next match and I will win or lose based on my skills alone, not because some technology hinders my opponent," Schwarz said coolly.  "Any further attempts by you to sabotage the gundam fight and I will expose your schemes not only to Neo-Germany, but also to the rest of the world."  He turned and left.

          "Oh no!" George cried out.

          "Hmmm..." Argo muttered.

          "She's going to have a tough time winning this match," Domon observed.

          "Domon!" Rain admonished.  "Don't say that!"

          "It's the truth.  I know it and everyone else here knows it," Domon said.

          "There are people who do not wish Karla to survive this fight," Schwarz said.

          The Shuffles turned toward him and gaped in amazement at what he'd said.  "What?!" they exclaimed in unison.

          "There are people who do not wish Karla to survive this fight," Schwarz repeated.

          "How do you know?" Domon asked.

          "Humph.  I'm a ninja," Schwarz replied.

          "But..." Domon said.

          Schwarz folded his arms across his chest and watched as Karla fought against the infected fighter.  He thought, _You know what you must do to survive, Karla._

          Claus watched from the observation platform as Karla fought against the Neo-Swiss fighter.

          "I didn't think she'd last this long against him," Claus muttered several minutes later.  "Didn't Master train the Neo-Swiss fighter well enough?"

          Claus had the feeling of being watched and looked up.  Niklas was working with Karla to try and help her to win.  That was why he'd been hired.  Claus recalled that Niklas had been infected with DG cells.  _Why isn't he still infected?_ With a shrug, Claus turned his attention back to the fight.  Just then, the tentacles from the infected fighter had almost taken over Karla's gundam and would soon infect her.

          Claus grinned evilly.  Karla would be forced to obey him, if she wanted to be cured of the DG cells.  Of course, he would see to it that there were always some DG cells in her body.  She would be given to the men on his staff who had been watching the footage of Karla and Niklas making out and lusting after her themselves.  They could take her one at a time and she wouldn't be able to escape.

          Karla moved back out of the range of those tentacles, or so she thought.  Her obsidian stars chopped off the tentacles only for them to immediately grow back.  The next instant, one of them poked through her leg and two others were tearing at her cockpit door.  She mobilized her midnight swords and activated her super mode.  Her swords lengthened to twice their normal size.  The tentacles were slowly pushing their way into the cockpit.

          "I have no choice Niklas; I've got to go for his cockpit before the Dark Gundam infects me!" Karla shouted.  "These tentacles are entering my cockpit!!"

          "Don't let it get you!" Niklas shouted.

          Karla charged toward her opponent and shouted, "AAAAHHHH!!!!!"

          Her sword pierced her opponent's cockpit, there was an explosion and the green tentacles fell away from her gundam.  In a separate part of her mind, she heard Niklas' gasp as she ferociously attacked her opponent's cockpit.  Karla's breathing was heavy as she stared at the spot where the Neo-Swiss gundam had stood.  All that was left was a pile of charred metal.

          The emcee called out over the public address system, "The winner of this match is Neo-Austria's Midnight Gundam.  She will fight against Neo-Germany's Schwarz Bruder in the semi-finals!"

          "Was that level of ferocity justified?" Domon asked.

          "Yes.  Think of how you would feel if you were fighting the Dark Gundam in the Guiana Highlands and you didn't have your super mode or the abilities that Shuffle crest gives you," Schwarz said.

          "Hmmm.  I see.  So you get to fight her next?" Domon asked.

          Schwarz watched as Midnight Gundam turned and stared at him.  "Yes, Domon.  I have been looking forward to this fight against Karla even more than the fight I will inevitably have against you."

          The Shuffle Alliance members gasped.  Domon turned to leave.  "Good luck, Schwarz.  I will be interested to see who wins this next match as they will fight against me."

          The next instant, Midnight Gundam stood in front of them.  The cockpit opened and Karla jumped down to where the group stood.  "Well Schwarz, it's you and me in the next battle," Karla said.


	20. Shadow Gundam vs Midnight Gundam Schwar

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters. All other characters are my creations. Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 20

By: Diane Maher

The main gundam fight ring located in Hong Kong harbor was surrounded by water. Its white tiled surface gleamed brightly as the sun topped the horizon. There were many boats and people gathering from afar to witness today's match. It was the last match to determine who would be fighting in the final round. A helicopter bearing the female emcee who announced the arrival and identities of each gundam was circling the area, waiting for today's combatants to arrive.

* * *

On a nearby wooden boat, the members of the Shuffle Alliance except for Domon Kasshu, the King of Hearts, who was nowhere to be found, met to watch today's fight.

"This should be an interesting match," George de Sand commented.

"You really think so?" Chibodee asked.

"Yes, Karla Geist improved considerably during her training with Schwarz in the Guiana Highlands. Did you not pay attention during her last match against Neo-Switzerland?"

Argo Gulskii answered, "I saw it. She showed him no mercy, but at this point in the tournament, one doesn't expect mercy. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a great fight."

"No matter how long or short it is," Sai Saici chimed in.

"That's cold-blooded, Argo, but you're right." Chibodee chewed on the leaf in his mouth for a moment before adding, "Yes, I too believe that it will be a good fight. You know that Shadow Gundam has managed to put away most of its opponents within a couple of minutes of the start of the match. Do you think Karla has any chance of lasting more than a few minutes?"

George nodded. "Yes. Even before we met in the Guiana Highlands, I fought against Karla. She is a strong fighter and had the opportunity to take my gundam's head, but didn't."

The others turned towards him. "What'd you say?" Chibodee asked.

George closed his eyes for a moment and looked down at the water. "Karla was the first fighter I met after we were saved from the Dark army and Master Asia by Domon and Schwarz. Because of how I felt after what happened to me in Shinjuku, I couldn't fight Karla. Apparently, she didn't like the fact that I wasn't at the peak of my fighting ability and decided to wait and fight me again later. That decision to walk away nearly cost her life." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I charged after her and with my saber, destroyed half of her gundam's cockpit."

"But you know that's wrong!" Sai Saici exclaimed.

Nodding, George replied, "Yes, I do. Fortunately, I regained my senses in time to see what damage I had done to her gundam and stop before I killed her. I lost my will to fight then."

"But you've got it back now, right?" Chibodee asked.

"Yes, I got it back in the Guiana Highlands when I was attacked by my fellow countryman, Mirabeau, who was possessed by DG cells. I had to face my fears and my past then."

Argo went to stand next to George and they stared at their reflections in the water. "I understand what you went through to some degree. Andrew Graham of Neo-Canada has threatened to kill me because of what he thought I did in the past. Finally, when we fought together in that match against Domon and Allenby, he understood the truth of what really happened that day five years ago."

"Speaking of Domon, where is that guy from Neo-Japan?" Chibodee asked.

"I haven't seen him," Sai Saici replied.

* * *

Inside Midnight Gundam, Karla double checked all her systems to ensure that everything was functional.

"Niklas, did you install the weapon I asked you to?" Karla asked.

"Yes. I hope you don't have to use it," Niklas replied quietly. "It's the big red button on the right."

"I see it." Karla looked at Niklas' face on the screen and saw his dejected expression. "I'm sorry, Niklas. I forgot how difficult this must be for you. You're fighting against your father."

"No, Karla. You are the one doing the fighting. I'm your support crew," Niklas replied.

"You're more than that Niklas," Karla whispered. "You're the man I love, my friend and confidant, and one hell of a gundam mechanic."

"Oh, so my skills as a mechanic are third on your list?" Niklas asked with a wink.

"How about I move them to a tie for second on the list?" Karla replied as she stripped.

Niklas laughed. "I can handle that. Good luck, Karla. I love you and I will still love you no matter how this fight ends, either in victory or defeat. I want you to know that."

"I know. I love you too. Thank you for everything that you've done for me," Karla said as the mobile trace system activated and the rings pulled the skin tight suit over her naked body.

"We'll be there in a minute. Everything checks out on this end," Niklas reported. "You're not going to wear your mask, Karla?"

"No. I don't need to wear it anymore," Karla replied. "I am who I am and you helped me to understand that when you asked me about what happened when I was arrested by the Neo-Austrian authorities. You saw the footage and didn't shun me for what had happened, you listened and understood."

"I'm glad you feel that way. You look so much better without the mask," Niklas said with a sly wink.

* * *

The two combatants arrived at the ring then and the emcee began her speech once they were standing in the ring.

"Today we will witness a match to determine who will fight against Domon Kasshu of Neo-Japan in the final match before the Battle Royale!" she called out over the PA system. "We have Neo-Austria's Midnight Gundam fighting against Neo-Germany's Shadow Gundam! These two fighters are both undefeated and vying for the chance to challenge Neo-Japan's Burning Gundam in two days. Rumor has it that these two fighters trained at the same ninjutsu school in Neo-Germany."

* * *

"Why should that matter?" Chibodee asked.

"It means that they know the same moves," Sai Saici replied.

"I know that, you little brat!" Chibodee exclaimed. "But it still shouldn't matter where they trained."

"I wasn't aware of that fact," Argo commented. "It should truly prove to be a fascinating fight then."

George merely nodded as they turned their attention towards the ring.

* * *

Inside Shadow Gundam, Schwarz calmly waited for the fight to begin. Karla's unmasked face appeared on his screen. "This is the moment we've been waiting for, Schwarz."

Schwarz folded his arms across his chest. "Yes. The time has come for our decisive battle. Good luck, Karla."

"Danke, Schwarz. Good luck to you too," Karla replied.

The voice of Prime Minister Wong of Neo-Hong Kong was heard over the PA system. The barrier around the fighters was erected and he shouted, "Gundam fight, all set?!"

"Ready!!" Schwarz exclaimed as he prepared to attack.

"Go!!" Karla shouted as she charged Schwarz.

* * *

Karla felt the raw power emanating from Schwarz and felt an answering power within her. With the help of Schwarz and Niklas, she had been able to leave behind the things that had previously encumbered her and kept her from utilizing her skills to the fullest extent possible. "Midnight swords!" she called.

As her swords slid out, she ducked and swung at Shadow Gundam's leg. He jumped and flung his iron net over her. When it hit, the electrical shock surprised Karla and she screamed in pain as she fell to one knee.

"Is this the full extent of your power? Surely you aren't going to allow yourself to be beaten so easily!" Schwarz's voice taunted her over the speakers.

Karla's brow furrowed in anger before she spun around and sliced the net away from her body. "NO!" she shouted.

She saw Shadow Gundam begin to spin like a top and activated her Manriki Kusari. Twirling it over her head, she waited for what she judged was the right moment before charging Schwarz. When she flung the whip through the air, she watched as it wrapped around his legs. By that time, his velocity was so fast, that the end of the chain she held was yanked out of her hand.

"It didn't stop him," Karla said, shocked.

* * *

The assembled members of the Shuffle Alliance gaped in amazement as the battle began. The gundams' fists flew at each other and the sound of metal meeting metal was tremendous.

"I feel so much power coming from them!" Sai Saici said with reverence.

"Yes, I can feel it too," Argo agreed.

"They're practically a blur!" Chibodee said.

"Amazing!" George said.

A few minutes later, Shadow Gundam began spinning. "This could be the beginning of the end for Midnight Gundam. That's the same technique that Schwarz used to defeat us," Argo observed.

"Yeah," Chibodee commented. "Even as I stand here watching it, I can't think of a way to defeat it. It would surely have to be a powerful force to defeat Schwarz now."

"Did you notice that she tried unsuccessfully to trip him?" George asked.

"Yes. It seems that while he's in that state, nothing can touch him. The sheer force of the whirlwind generated by his spinning prevents it," Sai Saici said.

* * *

"Do you seriously believe that you can stop me with that toy?" Schwarz demanded as he stopped spinning.

Karla saw that her Manriki Kusari lay in a heap off to the side near the barrier. That left only one option available for her before she must use her ultimate technique and her gundam's super mode.

"Shadow darkness!!!" she shouted. Thick black smoke began spewing out of the back of Karla's gundam. She made several of the ball weapons appear in her hand and threw them at Shadow Gundam. They exploded and enveloped him in a wall of thick black smoke. She knew that her gundam's external camouflage was active. She was now invisible and made her way to Shadow Gundam's last location.

* * *

"What happened? What is going on in there?" George asked. "This reminds me of my bout with Chapman – especially the fake fog and the incredible gundam that attacked me."

Chibodee inhaled sharply, "Do you think that she was somehow tainted by the Dark Gundam during her last fight?"

George shook his head. "I don't know. Of course, Karla also used this same technique in her victory against me."

Then, they saw Shadow Gundam's body come flying out of the smoke and slam into the barrier in front of them.

"LOOK!!" Chibodee shouted. "What dirty tricks she's using!"

Argo folded his arms across his chest and responded, "Karla's using everything at her disposal to try and win her battle against Schwarz. Perhaps she knows something the rest of us don't?"

"What do you mean?" Chibodee demanded.

"I'm assuming that the rumors regarding where she trained are true. In that case, she would know everything that Schwarz knows and perhaps more," Argo replied.

The assembled Shuffle Alliance members stared incredulously at Argo. Chibodee said, "You could be right."

* * *

Inside Shadow Gundam, Schwarz did a close up scan of the smoke. His scanners picked up a trace of something breaking up the smoke. He stood and charged to that spot. Swinging his blades, he made contact with something.

Schwarz said, "So, I managed to find you, Karla. That was an excellent attack."

"You only managed to find me once. It won't happen again," Karla replied.

Schwarz chuckled. "Perhaps, but you know me better than that."

Karla was still invisible and for an instant, reappeared in the clear air in front of Shadow Gundam long enough for her to strike him twice with her midnight swords. Her momentum carried her back into the smoke; she became invisible again and dropped more of the smoke balls. "Will she ever run out of those damned things?" he muttered out loud.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Schwarz shouted as she grabbed his gundam from behind and held it in a powerful grip.

"Wait a minute! I recognize this technique!" Schwarz said. He jumped and fired his thrusters simultaneously. Since her gundam was on his back, she would bear the brunt of his defensive attack.

The next instant, there was a bone-shattering crunch as Midnight Gundam slammed into the barrier. Its grip was loosened and Schwarz powered away from her. He watched as her gundam fell to the floor of the ring.

"You've put up a good fight, Karla, but it's time to end it now!" Schwarz shouted as he spun to clear the smoke from the ring. He preferred to have a clear field of vision before using his ultimate technique against an opponent.

* * *

Looking up, she saw that Shadow Gundam had spun to remove all of the smoke from the ring. Karla checked her supply of the smoke balls and found that she was out. _Damn!_ she thought.

Karla checked the status of her secret weapon as she stood. Everything was as it should be. "Schwarz, come and get me!"

Shadow Gundam began spinning. "Gladly! Sturm und Drang!" Schwarz shouted.

Karla watched as Shadow Gundam advanced on her position in the ring. She felt the power of the wind generated by the spinning Shadow Gundam.

"Now it ends!" Karla shouted as she pressed the big red button on her console.

* * *

A moment later, Shadow Gundam tripped and fell. The members of the Shuffle Alliance present gasped in unison.

"I don't believe it!" Chibodee cried. "Karla managed to stop Shadow Gundam!"

"But how?" Sai Saici asked.

"Hmmm. It's not immediately obvious, is it, Argo?" George de Sand asked.

"No," Argo said as a slight smile crept across his face. "Schwarz must figure out how she did it before he can defeat her."

* * *

Inside Shadow Gundam, Schwarz was stunned after falling. He slowly got to his knees. When he looked up, he saw Midnight Gundam standing there. He did a quick scan of the area and found nothing out of the ordinary. As he started climbing to his feet again, he found his foot caught on something.

"What the?" Schwarz muttered. He looked around him but didn't see anything. He used several different types of scanners. Finally, the last one brought something up on the screen. It was the one that had allowed him to see Karla as she fought invisibly in several of her matches. He unhooked his foot from her invisible device. The area of the ring between him and her was littered with these devices.

Schwarz chuckled. "That was very clever, Karla. You are a worthy opponent. Not many have seen what I am about to show you."

Schwarz exhaled and his mind was clear as he activated Shadow Gundam's super mode. A moment later, its color changed to gold.

* * *

"Verdammt! He didn't stay down! I have no choice now. I must use my super mode and ultimate technique," Karla said.

Clearing her mind of all distractions, Karla felt the super mode activate. Midnight Gundam glowed and its color changed from black to gold. Her midnight swords lengthened and were twice their original size. She then focused her energies to invert, causing her gundam to be intangible to her opponent's attacks, yet still allowing her to strike them as usual.

* * *

"What? I didn't know that Shadow Gundam had a super mode!" George exclaimed.

"Wow!" Sai Saici said in awe of the sight before him. "He's never used it before on any of us!"

George said, "No. Perhaps he felt that we weren't worthy enough opponents. Karla is another matter. She's been incredible in this fight."

"I guess it's true what they say," Sai Saici observed. "Only a ninja can stop a ninja." [AN: the last phrase is from the 1983 movie titled, "Revenge of the Ninja" written by James R. Silke.]

"What is going on with Midnight Gundam?" Rain Mikamura inquired as she came forward to see the fight more clearly.

"Karla has activated her gundam's super mode. She's tried everything else to stop Shadow Gundam and now that Schwarz activated his super mode, she has been left with no other choice," George replied. Rain nodded her understanding.

* * *

"Blitzkrieg Valkyrie!!" Karla cried as she jumped up and flew towards Shadow Gundam with one of her blades extended in front of her.

Schwarz dodged her first attack and when she turned and came back at him, he used his Spiegel blades to try and stop her. However, they went right through Midnight Gundam.

"What?" Schwarz shouted incredulously. "How could my blades go right through her?"

Karla swung her blade at him and solidly connected with his left arm. Schwarz cried out in pain as her blade cut halfway into his arm before he managed to push away the blade.

"What are you doing?" Schwarz asked.

"I'm doing what I must to win!" Karla replied.

Schwarz vanished and appeared behind her. "Very well, I shall do what I must to defeat you, Karla."

"That won't work with me!" Karla cried out. She vanished as well. As she activated her light refracting scanner, she found Schwarz. He was almost on top of her. She brought her swords up to block his attack.

At the last second, he brought his blades to bear on her. One was headed straight for Midnight Gundam's cockpit.

Karla managed to dodge Schwarz's attack, but his second blade bit deeply into her left side. With a scream of pain, Karla fell to the ground and both gundams were visible once more.

Niklas saw this and screamed, "No, Karla!"

"I'm...all right, Niklas," Karla whispered hoarsely.

Her breathing was heavy now, and she held her side as she slowly stood for her final assault. She was still in super mode and refocused her remaining energies to powering herself up for her last attack. This time, Schwarz was behind her, so her last trick wouldn't stop him this time. She turned to face him.

* * *

"Midnight Gundam's pilot must be injured," Argo observed. "Look how slowly she is standing."

"Yeah, but she's still in super mode," Chibodee said. "You know as well as I do that's a difficult thing to maintain for any length of time."

"Shadow Gundam is attacking!" Sai Saici exclaimed.

George looked up at the Neo-Austrian platform and wondered how Niklas was handling this battle. He watched as his the woman he loved fought against his father.

* * *

"Sturm und Drang!!" Schwarz cried out and then his gundam began spinning again.

"Schwarz, I must remove your head NOW!!!" Karla shouted.

Karla stood and charged at Shadow Gundam with her energized Midnight swords at the ready. As she brought them around to try and take off his gundam's head, her screen was filled with the sight of Schwarz's spinning gundam. His spinning blades bit through one of hers before she was able to hold him off with the second.

That lasted for only a moment. The sparks flew as his blades bit through her second blade and sliced up the long axis of her gundam's arm. Several explosions followed as his blades dug into her gundam's torso.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!!" Karla screamed as she felt the pain of Schwarz's attack in her arm and upper torso.

The sparks flew inside the cockpit as the various systems were pushed beyond their limits and several small electrical fires filled the cockpit with thick smoke. Wires fell on Karla from all directions and soon, she was tangled in them.

* * *

Schwarz stopped spinning and when the smoke cleared, Midnight Gundam fell to its knees; the super mode was no longer functional. The cockpit door came open and smoke billowed from the open door. Shadow Gundam knelt to the ground, Schwarz climbed out of his cockpit and crossed to Midnight Gundam. Karla's body hung amidst the wires of Midnight Gundam's shattered cockpit. She was barely conscious. The barrier came down as in the background the emcee announced that Shadow Gundam was the winner of the match.

"Karla!" Niklas shouted as he ran up to where Schwarz was climbing into her cockpit. "Oh no! Are you okay?"

"She will recover, Niklas," Schwarz said as he carefully lifted Karla from the cockpit of her gundam.

Rain Mikamura and the members of the Shuffle Alliance in attendance came up to where they stood.

"You fought well today Karla," Schwarz said. "Rain, please examine Karla."

"Danke, Schwarz. You don't know what that means to me coming from you," Karla whispered as she touched Schwarz's masked cheek with her hand. "Where's Niklas?"

"I'm here," Niklas replied.

"Are you able to stand?" Schwarz asked.

"I think so," Karla replied.

Schwarz put Karla on her feet and she hugged Niklas.

When the couple separated, Schwarz said, "It took everything I had to beat you, Karla."

"I didn't want you to win; you had to fight me for the victory," Karla said.

"I was surprised when you used the Blitzkrieg Valkyrie technique. I didn't expect a kamikaze attack from you," Schwarz said.

"It was a kamikaze attack?" George asked.

"Yes, George. It was a last resort, I assure you," Karla replied.

"Karla, there's nothing broken, you are all right," Rain reported as she finished the initial scan of her body. "Wait a minute, where's your mask?"

"I don't need to wear it anymore, thanks to Schwarz, but mostly thanks to Niklas," Karla replied.

"You have done well, Karla. To be able to do that technique required you to be totally honest with yourself. Because you were able to be honest with yourself, you became far stronger than you otherwise would have been. I am proud of you," Schwarz said. "I respect you as a fellow master of German ninjutsu."

"Thank you, Schwarz. Good luck in your match against Neo-Japan," Karla said.


	21. Final battle begins Claus' revenge

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters.  All other characters are my creations.  Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 21

By:  Diane Maher

          Claus watched in disbelief as Midnight Gundam fell in defeat.  The one thing that remained intact was his hold over Karla.  She had neither a nation nor an identity.  He left the platform following the fight and returned to the embassy.  He soon found that even seeing his secretary wasn't enough to soothe him after the major setback to his plans.

          Claus left the embassy a short while later with his security guards and told his driver go to the Neo-Austria hangar.  Karla, Niklas and the gundam would be there by now.

          The last time Claus spoke with Prime Minister Wong was the straw that broke the camel's back.

_          "Well, President Stromberg, your fighter was defeated by Neo-Germany.  You are no longer in the running to become the new ruler of Earth and space.  What will you do now?" Wong asked._

_          "You have allowed others into the Battle Royale who have not earned their place.  Can you not give my fighter the same courtesy?" Claus replied._

_          "You will pay a high price, is that understood?" Wong asked._

_          "What price?" Claus asked._

_          "Your nation," Wong whispered in a hushed tone._

_          "I don't understand.  What do you mean, my nation?" Claus asked._

_          "If you want me to allow your fighter into the Battle Royale, you will surrender control of your nation to me," Wong replied.  He paused and thought for a moment.  "Or, you can just give your fighter to me.  She would become the new pilot of the Dark Gundam."_

_          Claus froze.  He unconsciously rubbed his thighs under his desk.  The thought of Karla as the pilot of the Dark Gundam was too terrible to contemplate.  She despised him and would kill him without a second thought.  Her fight against the Neo-Swiss fighter had confirmed this._

_          Claus closed his eyes and replied, "No."_

_          Wong shrugged.  "Then I cannot grant your request."_

_          Claus turned off the monitor.  "Karla must die, so Wong can't use her in that abomination that he calls a gundam!"_

* * *

          Niklas and Karla watched from the scaffolding inside the Neo-Austria hangar as Midnight Gundam was brought in and raised to a standing position.

          "I can't believe all the damage that was done," Niklas said.  "I'm just glad you survived the match, Karla."

          "I tried everything to beat Schwarz.  I just couldn't," Karla whispered.  She closed her eyes and looked at her feet.  "I don't believe there will be a second chance for me to fight him."

          "I know," Niklas said.  He put his arm over her shoulder.  "You wanted to win your fight against Schwarz.  Now you have a new goal to attain.  You must improve your skills beyond those of Schwarz so that you can defeat Domon Kasshu."

          Karla looked up and said, "You're right, Niklas.  Thanks."

          A car pulled into the hangar and parked.  Karla and Niklas looked down from the scaffolding and saw Claus and his security guards come out and look around the building.

          "What does that bastard want?" Niklas asked.

          "I don't know, nor do I want to find out," Karla said.

* * *

          Claus looked around, saw them and shouted, "Karla! Niklas!"  The platform came down as he approached.

          When it stopped moving, Karla and Niklas stepped off, to have the security guards stand behind them.

          "What is going on here?" Karla asked.

          "I'm seeing to it that you don't get any ideas about leaving Neo-Hong Kong without my permission," Claus replied.

          "What makes you think we will leave?" Karla asked.

          "Just a feeling I have," Claus replied.

          "I can imagine what feelings he's having right now," Niklas muttered.

          "I bought some special technology and as I understand it, if I press this button, you will be completely under my control, Karla," Claus said smoothly as he fingered a device with a button on it in his hand."

          "Go ahead, I don't care," Karla said, unconcerned.

          "What?! Fine!!" Claus shouted and pressed the button.

          Karla stared at Claus as nothing happened.  "Well?"

          Claus pressed the button several more times.  There wasn't anything happening to Karla and he didn't understand why.

          Niklas asked, "Why don't you leave us alone, Claus?"

          "How dare you!" Claus sputtered.

          "We're tired of your threats and your constant surveillance of us which winds up being used as entertainment for your sleazy security guards," Niklas said.

          "My security guards are not sleazy," Claus replied.

          "You mean that they just enjoy watching your footage of Karla and I making love?" Niklas asked.

          "That footage was necessary to ensure our national security," Claus protested.

          "National security? What a load of bull!" Niklas exclaimed.

          "I'm glad the Gundam fight is over for me," Karla said, changing the subject.

          Claus' lips turned upwards into a predatory smile.  "Oh, it's far from being over, believe me."

          "What do you mean?" Karla demanded.

          "As long as you have no true identity or country, and since you currently belong to Neo-Austria, I can have you do any thing I want you to do," Claus replied.

          "No Claus.  You can't.  I don't belong to you or anyone else," Karla replied icily.

          "Unless your father is going to forgive you for sleeping with me, I don't see you getting your identity back," Claus said.

          "I'm not concerned," Karla said.

          "You had better be," Claus said quietly.

* * *

          Niklas watched as the security guards behind them pulled out their weapons and pointed them at him and Karla.  He whispered, "Karla, we have a problem."

          "If Claus orders them to fire, fall to the floor immediately," Karla whispered.

          Claus ordered, "Shoot them."

          Niklas and Karla fell to the floor and then they heard Claus howl as the darts meant for them hit him.  Before the guards could reload, Karla got up on her knees, pulled out several silver balls from her pockets, and threw them down, where they broke and the area around them was suddenly filled with thick, white smoke.

          Karla pulled Niklas to his feet.  In the confusion, they escaped to the gundam's cockpit.

          "What now?" Niklas asked.

          Karla said nothing as she turned on the barely functional external monitors.

          "We have to get the recordings I've made!" Niklas whispered, anxious.

          "Why?" Karla asked.

          Niklas replied, "I've been making recordings of Claus from that bug you planted in his office and the recordings are back there in our room!"

          "Are they hidden?" Karla asked.

          "Yes, but..." Niklas replied.  "I don't want to lose them because they may be your only hope to clear your name without your father's help."

          Karla's expression softened.  "Niklas...you did that...for me?"

          Niklas sat on the floor to avoid the dangling wires that needed repair.  "I don't like how you've been treated by Claus or your father.  If I can help you clear your name, then that's what I'll do."

          Karla grinned and then turned her attention back to Claus.  His security guards stood ready for an attack, but then as the smoke cleared, she watched as Claus climbed into his car, they followed along with several other people who had been elsewhere in the hangar.  The driver started the motor, put it into gear and the car left the hangar.

          "I'll have to check the security cameras I installed and see what Claus was up to," Niklas said.

          "I'm going to make a call.  I'll be down in a minute," Karla said.

          "Okay," Niklas said.  When the cockpit door opened, the platform automatically came up to the door.  He rode the platform down from the cockpit.

          When Niklas walked into their bedroom, he saw that Claus' goons had ransacked it as they searched for something.  He found the picture of his parents on the floor, with the glass broken.

          Angry, Niklas paused to scan the room for any additional surveillance devices.  When he found none, he shrugged and decided to tidy up the mess that Claus' men had left.

          Niklas crossed the room, picked up the picture of his parents, and opened the frame.  He found his disk in its place between the back of the picture and the backing of the frame, just as he left it.  He went over to a computer in the corner, turned on the power and inserted the disk.  He listened to the contents of the disk and found it hadn't been tampered with, so he ejected the disk, and put it back into its place in the picture frame.

          Niklas began packing both his and Karla's things.  Something told him that they better not remain here for long.  The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.  He wrapped the picture frame in some shirts and put it into the bag with his clothes and other things.

          A single footstep in the hallway behind him caused Niklas to jump.  He turned his head toward the source of the sound and saw nothing.

          Niklas zipped up the bags, picked them up and headed back to the hangar.  He placed the bags on the platform and activated the lift.  As it rose, Niklas noticed that Midnight Gundam's arms were repaired.  When Niklas arrived at the cockpit and saw whom else besides Karla was inside, he understood.

          "Karla, isn't it dangerous to have the gundam repaired using DG cells?" Niklas asked.

          Schwarz looked up and met Niklas' gaze.  "It's important to get you both out of here and to have Midnight Gundam fully repaired."

          Karla replied, "Schwarz has assured me that I will not be exposing myself to DG cells.  He has offered to help with the cockpit systems too.  I've seen to rearming Midnight Gundam."

          "We'll have to worry about that later," Niklas said.  "I thought I heard a footstep behind me, but when I looked, there was no one there."

          "Hmmm.  I wonder what you heard, Niklas," Schwarz said.  "I never went near the living quarters."

          "Can Midnight Gundam move under its own power?" Niklas asked as he entered the cockpit.

          "I hope so, because I'm getting a feeling of being watched," Karla said.

          "If necessary, I'll carry you with Shadow Gundam," Schwarz said as he walked out onto the platform.  He then vanished as Midnight Gundam's cockpit door closed.

          "Why did you call him?" Niklas asked.

          "I don't trust Claus.  He thinks he still has a hold over me with that footage.  He's wrong," Karla replied.  She put on the gloves and boots that allowed her to control the gundam without activating the mobile trace system.  "There's something else that bothers me.  Where is he getting the DG cells?"

          "I don't know.  Where should I stand?" Niklas asked.

          "Perhaps you should sit," Karla replied.

          Schwarz's face appeared on the screen then.  "Are you coming?"

          "Yes," Karla replied as she maneuvered Midnight Gundam out of the hangar.

          As they cleared the hangar, several explosions rocked the building.  Karla followed Schwarz to a wooded area outside the city.  After they landed, Karla opened the cockpit door.

          "What happened to the hangar?" Niklas asked as he climbed out of the cockpit.

          "I guess that Claus is angry that I survived the match and that his nanobot controller didn't work," Karla said.

          "I found out from your brother Wolfgang that your father sold the nanobots to Claus.  The fool snatched it up, in the chance that he could use it to control you," Schwarz commented.

          "You spoke to Wolfgang?" Karla asked.

          "He has helped me keep an eye on your father's plans," Schwarz replied.  "Wolfgang cares about you, Karla."

          "Who is Wolfgang?" Niklas asked, mystified.

          "He is my younger brother," Karla replied.

          Schwarz turned suddenly and looked into the sky.  Karla noticed this and asked, "What is it, Schwarz?"

          Schwarz stared at the darkening night sky for several more minutes before turning back to Karla and Niklas.  Schwarz said, "The Dark Gundam is here in Neo-Hong Kong."

          "What does that mean?" Niklas asked.

          "It means that Wong's plans will soon bear fruit," Schwarz replied.

          "The Neo-Swiss fighter who I fought against was injected with DG cells," Karla said.

          "You mean he was infected on purpose?" Niklas asked.

          "Yes," Karla replied.

          "It sounds like Claus was trying to gain power with Wong's help," Schwarz said.

          "Now that I'm out of the gundam fight, Claus can't get any more power than he already has," Karla said.  "Is there any way of stopping Claus and Wong?"

          Schwarz stared at the sky for a minute before replying, "Yes, but unless you have evidence of wrongdoing on Claus or Wong's part, it won't mean a thing."

          "I have recordings of Claus making his dirty deals with someone, it may be Wong," Niklas said.

          Schwarz said, "Good.  If the Dark Gundam is revived in the near future, the two of you must convince the gundam fighters from the other nations to unite against it.  Domon and the Shuffle Alliance cannot fight it alone."

          "I'm sure that they would try," Karla commented.

          Schwarz chuckled.  "Domon is stubborn enough to think that he can defeat it himself."

          "What about you, Schwarz?" Karla asked.

          Schwarz looked at her.  "I'll be fine Karla.  See you tomorrow."  He then disappeared and shortly, Shadow Gundam left the area.

          Karla watched as Shadow Gundam was lost to the night sky.

* * *

          The next morning, Niklas and Karla secured the gundam and headed for the harbor ring where the final round of the gundam fight was to take place.  They spotted the Shuffle Alliance members and headed towards them.

          George saw them approaching.  "Mademoiselle Geist and Monsieur Bruder, it's good to see you."

          "Hello George," Karla said.

          "George," Niklas said.

          "I see you're here to cheer for Schwarz," George said.

          "Yes George.  Karla and I are cheering for Schwarz.  After all, Neo-Germany is our homeland," Niklas replied as his hand slid over Karla's hip.

          "Is that true Karla?" George asked.

          "Yes," Karla replied.  "My father is the Chancellor of Neo-Germany.  My name is really Karla von Geist."

          "What?!" George asked, incredulous.  "I thought it was against the rules for a fighter to fight for a nation other than their own."

          "It isn't that simple," Karla said.  "I changed my name very slightly because I neither have a nation nor an identity right now.  I found myself in a position where I had no choice but to fight for Neo-Austria."

          "What will happen to you now that you've been defeated?" George asked.

          Karla turned towards him and replied softly, "I truly don't know.  Unless my father gives me my identity back, I may never again set foot on the Neo-German colony."

          "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," George said.

          Karla shrugged.  "You didn't, really.  I'm not sure that he will reconsider his position after my fight with Neo-Switzerland."

          "You did well to survive that match.  Schwarz made a comment to Domon after the match that made me understand why you defended yourself the way that you did."

          "I am not like you; I don't have a Shuffle crest that would remove the taint of the Dark Gundam from someone.  That fighter tried to infect me with DG cells and would have succeeded if I hadn't killed him," Karla said.

          "You don't sound happy that you won the match," George said.  "You didn't want to kill that man, did you?"

          Karla shook her head.  "He was one of the police officers who arrested me in Neo-Austria.  Despite the horrible things he did to me at the time, I didn't want to kill him.  During the fight, I realized that I had no choice but to kill him if I wanted to survive.  I wasn't going to allow myself to be killed or infected with DG cells."

          George looked down for a moment.  "You did what you had to do, Karla.  In your position, I hope I would have the courage to do the same."

          "Thanks, George," Karla said.

          The emcee's voice was heard over the PA system announcing the final battle between Neo-Germany's Shadow Gundam and Neo-Japan's Burning Gundam.  Karla, Niklas, George and the others turned their attention to the ring.

          The emcee explained how this match was different from all that preceded it.  The fighters had a time limit of ten minutes and the cage that surrounded the ring was electrified and lined with explosives.  If the match wasn't settled within the allotted time, the bombs would explode.

          "Oh no!" Karla whispered.

          Niklas was looking at the team platforms with some binoculars.  The Neo-German platform was empty except for one person, a young woman with brown hair sticking out from the bottom and around her eyes who was wearing a mask.

          Niklas gasped in recognition.  "I think that's Rain up on the Neo-Germany platform!"

          "What?!" Karla asked, surprised.

          Niklas handed her the binoculars and she looked.  "I think you're right, Niklas," Karla said.

          The fight between Schwarz and Domon began and Karla returned the binoculars to Niklas.  Karla stared in awe at Schwarz's gundam and how easily it was able to gain the advantage over Domon.  It troubled her that Schwarz didn't finish off Domon.  Then she remembered what she and Niklas had learned about Schwarz on the way here from the Guiana Highlands.

_          "I…" Niklas stammered.  His expression was one of shock as he continued, "Who are you?"_

_          Schwarz sat up despite Karla's efforts to keep him still.  "The face you see before you is that of Kyoji Kasshu, the older brother of Domon Kasshu."_

_          Both Karla and Niklas gasped.  Schwarz or rather, Kyoji, continued, "I am really not even Kyoji."  For a moment he stared into space.  Then, he exerted his will and the bloody gash on his forehead healed before their eyes.  "The body of the man who was Schwarz Bruder died after his fight with the Dark Gundam."_

          With a grim look on her face, Karla realized that Schwarz might not win this battle.  However, he wasn't just going to allow Domon to win easily.  This fight between them was the same for Domon as it had been for her.  She had realized her true potential in her fight against Schwarz even though it had ended in her defeat.  Would Domon be able to do the same and claim victory?

          Karla glanced at the clock.  It said there was one minute left in the match! She watched as Schwarz stopped spinning and Burning Gundam struggled to move.  There was a sudden shout from Rain after she removed the mask and tossed it away, but Karla couldn't hear what was said.  Schwarz began spinning.  The next instant, Domon Kasshu activated his super mode, the Erupting burning finger attack, and another attack that she didn't recognize.  The clock hit the thirty-second mark.

          _This will be Schwarz's final attack!_ Karla thought.

          Karla watched in horror as the lights on the bombs started flashing at the five second mark and hoarsely whispered, "No!"

          Schwarz spun towards Domon who charged him.  Shadow Gundam and Burning Gundam met and the sparks flew as the two colossal powers collided.  Then the clock hit zero and the bombs exploded, obscuring both fighters from the spectators.  A minute later, Burning Gundam flew up out of the ring.

          "Schwarz! NO!!" Karla screamed.  She turned and buried her face into Niklas' shoulder.

          Niklas held Karla close as she cried.  He stared at the ring as the smoke cleared and watched as Shadow Gundam fell in defeat.  He closed his eyes and bowed his head.

          "George, is there a way to get us over to the ring?" Niklas asked quietly.

          George looked around and led them over to the edge of the ring.  Niklas and Karla arrived just in time to climb into the ambulance that was to take Schwarz to a hospital.  His mask had just been removed and Domon was stunned to see his older brother's face looking back at him.

          As the ambulance attendant closed the door, he turned and saw them.  "Who are you?" he asked.

          "We are this man's family," Niklas replied.

          The attendant nodded and the ambulance lifted off for the hospital.  Schwarz opened his eyes.  Niklas spoke to Schwarz in German.  Karla listened as Schwarz weakly replied.  She took his hand in hers and smiled warmly at him.  He looked at her, weakly returned her smile and fell unconscious once more.

          "What do we do now?" Karla asked.

          "He told us what to expect from Lantau Island, right? I think we better see about getting over there for the Battle Royale," Niklas replied.

          "I agree," Karla said.  "Perhaps we can get a ride from one of the other Shuffle Alliance teams."

          The ambulance slowed as it approached the hospital.  When it landed, they followed the gurney until it disappeared into the emergency room.  Shortly, the gurney was taken to an elevator and to a private room.  The doctors wouldn't allow them to remain in the room.  As they left, the Neo-German chancellor approached from the other direction.

          Von Geist paused, saw them and asked, "What are you doing here? This area is off-limits until Schwarz is secured in that room."

          "I..." Niklas began.  Karla touched his shoulder and shook her head.

          "We were just leaving," Karla said, disgusted at her father's attitude.

          Karla and Niklas took an elevator to the ground floor, left the building and started back to the hangar.

          "Why did we leave so fast? Don't you want to know what Schwarz's condition is?" Niklas asked.

          "Yes.  I asked the nurse to let us know about Schwarz's condition, as you're his son.  I gave her your cell phone number.  There is also the tracker that I put into Schwarz's coat pocket.  I made sure that the attendants now have his coat.  As long as they put it in his room, I can find it," Karla replied.

          "What if they don't put it in his room?" Niklas asked.

          "The way my father is overdoing security, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a heavily guarded room," Karla said.

          "Oh, okay.  Let's go," Niklas said.

          As they left the building, Niklas paused, turned and looked back.  A man hailed them as he approached.  Karla turned toward the sound of his voice.  She saw Domon and Rain approaching.

          "Karla! Niklas!" Domon called.

          Karla waved to acknowledge that she heard him calling.  When the couple from Neo-Japan arrived where they stood, Domon asked, "How is Schwarz?"

          "All we know is that he is being treated," Karla replied.

          "Aren't you going to stay?" Rain asked.

          "No.  We spoke to my father in the ambulance," Niklas replied.

          "Schwarz is your father?" Domon asked, surprised.  "But that can't be, I saw my brother's face when Schwarz's mask was removed!"

          "Yes, you did," Niklas said.  "If you recall, my last name is Bruder.  Other than that, I can't explain in detail now why I say that Schwarz is my father.  Please believe me when I say that he is.  I wouldn't make up something like that."

          "Will you return to see Schwarz?" Rain asked.

          "Possibly.  My father may not allow us into Schwarz's room," Karla replied.

          "What do you mean, your father?" Rain asked.

          "The Neo-German Chancellor is my father," Karla replied.  "It's a long story.  However, Niklas and I are going to leave.  We need to be alone for a while."  Karla and Niklas turned and walked away then.  Karla used her gundam's key to bring the core lander to them and they left.


	22. The End for Claus

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters. All other characters are my creations. Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 22

By: Diane Maher

The next morning, Karla woke early. She got out of her sleeping bag and looked over at Niklas who slept on peacefully in his. She smoothed her clothes and then went into Midnight Gundam's cockpit to change into a clean, black outfit and move her weapons from one outfit to the other. Soon, Karla finished and just as she was about ready to leave the cockpit, her communication system activated and George de Sand's face filled her screen.

"Good morning, George," Karla said.

"Good morning, Karla," George replied. "How are you doing after that incredible match you had with Schwarz?"

"I'm fine, but my side is still a little sore," Karla replied. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you were able to spar with me in preparation for the Battle Royale," George replied. "Is your gundam repaired?"

"Sure, I'll spar with you, and yes, my gundam is repaired," Karla replied.

"That was quick," George commented.

"Ninjas move in mysterious ways," Karla said in a hushed tone. She added, "I guess your butler isn't an appropriate sparring partner anymore?"

George shrugged. "I owe a lot to Raymond. However, I feel I need to spar with a higher caliber of fighter to improve myself."

Karla examined the status screens of Midnight Gundam's systems and then replied, "I'll come to your hangar after breakfast."

"Good, I'll see you later," George said and ended the call.

Karla picked up a bag containing food before she climbed out of the gundam and found Niklas awake and a fire started.

"Good morning, Karla," Niklas greeted.

She smiled warmly and replied, "Good morning, Niklas. I'll fix us some breakfast."

"Okay. I'm going to bathe in the stream nearby and change clothes. I'll be back in a little bit," Niklas said.

Karla prepared some omelets and when Niklas returned, they consumed their breakfast.

"I'm going to the Neo-France hangar. George contacted me and wants me to spar with him," Karla said.

"Okay, I'll help you clean up and we can go," Niklas said.

Shortly, Karla and Niklas climbed into Midnight Gundam's cockpit and headed for the Neo-France hangar. When they arrived, Karla opened the cockpit door. She and Niklas made their way to the ground. They were met by George and Raymond.

"Karla, Niklas, this is my butler, Raymond," George said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Raymond said.

"Karla, would you like to get to our sparring?" George asked.

"Of course," Karla replied.

* * *

The two fighters got into their machines and moved away from the Neo-France hangar building to a field with plenty of space which would allow them to practice without destroying any buildings or putting any people in danger. A few minutes after Karla and George started sparring, Niklas' cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Niklas answered.

"I see that you escaped the explosion at the Neo-Austrian hangar. Did Karla set you up to take the fall for her setting up the hangar to explode?" Claus asked.

Niklas wasn't going to take Claus' bait. He shrugged and replied, "I know Karla better than that, Claus. She wouldn't do anything like that. I see no reason to continue this conversation."

Niklas hung up on Claus and turned his attention back to Karla as she sparred with George. She was giving the Frenchman a run for his money, even though they were only practicing. Niklas smiled with pride as he knew how much Karla had improved since he had met her.

Soon, another gundam arrived. It charged toward where Karla and George were sparring. Niklas swiftly checked the gundam database on his wireless laptop and found that it was the original Neo-Switzerland gundam.

Niklas turned on the communicator and exclaimed, "Karla, watch out! There's a gundam that is charging from behind you!"

"What?" Karla asked. Something hit her from behind and she stumbled forward. Turning, she saw the newly arrived gundam as it faced her. "I'll be right back, George."

Claus' face appeared on her screen. She gasped as she saw the DG cells on his neck.

"What do you see?" George asked.

"Claus is infected by DG cells!" Karla replied.

"How?" Niklas asked. He gasped as the realization struck him. "That's what Claus meant to do to us over at the hangar."

"Let me take care of him," George insisted.

"I...must fight him," Karla whispered.

"Karla, I must destroy you," Claus muttered. "I can't allow Wong to use you for his evil plans."

"I won't allow you to destroy me," Karla replied. "What do you mean, Wong has some evil plan?"

Claus growled as he charged her. His voice barely sounded human and Karla couldn't understand his reply. He moved swiftly, jumped and kicked towards her.

George looked behind Karla and shouted, "You can't dodge his blow; there are people behind you on the ground!"

Karla jumped toward Claus to prevent him from harming the innocent bystanders behind her.

"George, please protect the people on the ground, I'll deal with Claus," Karla said.

The gundam that Claus was piloting slammed into Karla once more. She pushed him away, activated her midnight swords and took a defensive stance.

"What is this? Are you afraid to fight me, Karla?" Claus demanded.

"No. What made you do all these horrible things, Claus?" Karla asked.

"I had it planned out long before I met you, Karla. Don't take it personally," Claus replied.

Karla scowled and shouted, "Don't take it personally?!? You made my life hell and you tell me not to take it personally? How dare you!"

Claus laughed and Karla pressed some buttons on her console. She then attacked and sliced his arms off with her swords. Claus' laughter was demented now as the green tentacles swiftly reattached his arms.

George exclaimed, "Everyone, get away from here! Karla, let me help you defeat Claus."

"Thanks, George!" Karla replied as she blocked Claus' attack.

"You're afraid to fight me alone, Karla?" Claus asked. "Or is it that you fear you'll have to kill me?"

"No, Claus. I won't kill you. That would let you off too easily. With George's help, I will see to it that you answer for your crimes."

Claus laughed maniacally. "I won't be tried! You have no proof against me!"

Karla spun and extended her leg out to trip Claus. She then quickly jumped, pointed her blades downward, and pinned Claus' gundam to the ground by its shoulders. George punched through the cockpit and pulled out Claus.

"You're wrong, Claus. We do have proof against you," Karla replied, a hint of pity in her voice.

A look of shock came over Claus' face when Karla's words penetrated his mind. "No!" he gasped. "It's not possible!" He grasped his head in both hands and cried out in pain before falling unconscious.

Gundam Rose's hand glowed around Claus. "Raymond, please call the Neo-Austrian authorities and have them bring an ambulance to take away Claus."

"Yes, Master George," Raymond replied.

Karla stood next to George and opened her cockpit door. When she came out and looked at Claus, he seemed so vulnerable. She couldn't help but feel pity for him. She wondered what the Neo-Austrian authorities would do with him.

Below, Niklas called to her. Karla said, "Just a minute, I'll be right down!" Karla made her way down to where Niklas stood.

"I just received word from Wolfgang. A copy of the information that I recorded is in the hands of the Neo-Austrian authorities," Niklas replied.

* * *

After the Neo-Austrian authorities came and took away Claus, Niklas and Karla followed George inside the Neo-France building to a living room sized area. George picked up a remote and pressed the power button.

A newscast came over the screen in French. George listened for a moment. "This is about Claus!"

"What are they saying?" Karla asked.

"In light of some anonymously submitted information, the Vice President of Neo-Austria has been asked to take charge of the country while an investigation into President Stromberg's recent actions is undertaken," George said. "Stromberg is said to be ill at the moment and unavailable for comment."

"I thought you cured him of the DG cells?" Karla asked.

"I did," George replied. "I guess this is their way of keeping things relatively quiet while they investigate Claus."

"I hope this development helps to convince your father that your identity should be restored," Niklas said.

"I would like to think so, but we'll see," Karla said. "Until the Battle Royale is finished, I won't contact my father. Speaking of which, Niklas and I want to see the Battle Royale, but have no way to get there."

"You can ride on our boat," George said.

"Danke, George," Niklas said. "If you can tell me when and where we need to meet, I'll see to it that we're there promptly."

"Raymond, please give Niklas the information he and Karla need to meet up with you at the boat," George said.

"Yes, Master George," Raymond replied as he motioned for Niklas to follow him.

"How do you feel about the Battle Royale, George?" Karla asked.

"I am confident that I will win," George replied with a grin.

"Humph! I should have known I'd get a response like that. Schwarz was right," Karla commented.

George asked, "What do you mean, Schwarz was right? When did you talk to him?"

"Niklas and I rode in the ambulance to the hospital with him," Karla replied.

"I'm confused. Why were you there?" George asked.

"Niklas is Schwarz's son," Karla replied.

"Are you certain?" George asked.

Karla folded her arms across her chest and replied, "Yes. Niklas wouldn't lie about something like this."

"I suspected that he was related to Schwarz. I saw the intense emotions on Niklas' face during your fight against Schwarz. Now I understand where they came from and why," George said.

"Niklas is a good man. That I fought against his father was inevitable. He supported me throughout that match. I didn't lose the match on purpose or because Schwarz is Niklas' father."

"I never said you did," George said.

"It was a difficult fight for Niklas and me," Karla said. "As you know, my body is still recovering from it."

"I understand. Aren't you going to fight in the Battle Royale?" George asked.

"No," Karla replied. "For some reason, the powers that be decided that I'm not being allowed to fight, but it's just as well. Thank you for allowing Niklas and me to ride on your boat."

"You're welcome," George replied.

"I promised Schwarz that I'd help the Shuffle Alliance in his place if they needed assistance. I need to be as close as I can to the battleground," Karla said. "I can call my gundam there in an instant, if need be."

"We'll accept your help, Karla. You may not have a Shuffle crest, but you are a very skilled fighter," George said.

"Thank you, George," Karla said.

Niklas came over and said, "We must leave, so we can return in time to board your boat."

As Karla turned to leave, she paused and quietly said to George, "You must beware of Lantau Island. There, the Shuffle Alliance will meet its greatest challenge yet."


	23. After the Wave

_Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters. All other characters are my creations. Please do not use them without my permission._

Shadow Life – Part 23

By: Diane Maher

The next morning, Karla and Niklas went to the dock to meet the people from Neo-France. They boarded the boat without incident and Raymond took the boat out to sea.

Marie Louise came out of her cabin shortly after they pulled away from land. Raymond introduced them to her. She asked, "Why aren't you fighting in this battle?"

"The new Neo-Austrian President informed me that I am not being allowed to fight," Karla replied.

"Doesn't that bother you?" Marie Louise asked.

"No," Karla replied, looking over at Niklas. She then sat down on the deck and closed her eyes.

"What are you...?" Marie Louise began.

Niklas touched her shoulder. When Marie Louise looked at him, he shook his head.

"I don't understand. Why did Karla suddenly sit down and close her eyes?" Marie Louise asked.

"Karla is trying to use her ninjutsu abilities to find out what is happening on Lantau Island. Don't disturb her," Niklas replied.

"What do you mean?" Marie Louise asked, concerned. "Will my George be in danger?"

"I think that we must all keep our guard up," Niklas replied. "Karla believes that the fighters will face their fiercest battles on the island."

"Oh dear!" Marie Louise fretted.

The emcee introduced the fighters taking part in the Battle Royale as they zoomed past the onlookers in the boats. Soon, Raymond stopped the boat and dropped anchor.

* * *

Karla focused her mind towards Lantau Island. At first, there was only the land. As her consciousness made its way up the mountain, she sensed a dark presence. Then, her mind reached downwards into the earth itself. She felt the presence of something enormous buried beneath the island. As she pushed forward, she felt a weak human presence there. It was inside the dark presence.

_This must be the Dark Gundam,_ Karla thought. _The human presence I feel must be Kyoji Kasshu._ She felt a terrible grief emanating from him. She tried to reach out further with her mind, but suddenly met an impenetrable mental wall. The next thing she knew, her mind was shoved away from Kyoji and the Dark Gundam and her consciousness slammed back into her body.

Karla gasped, but found her mouth filled with water. She opened her eyes and started swimming towards the surface. Something hit her head from above. Her limp body began to sink.

* * *

On the physical plane, a huge wave rocked the boat shortly after the Battle Royale began on the island. Niklas didn't know whether Karla was aware of what was happening around her. He tried to see what happened to her body as an immense wave drowned the boat.

"AAAHHHH!" Marie Louise screamed as she was thrown into the water along with Raymond.

Niklas and Karla were flung overboard by the force of the wave. He struggled to get to the surface. When he opened his eyes, he looked for Karla in the water nearby, but didn't see her. He knew that he couldn't hold his breath much longer.

Niklas felt something metallic scoop him up. A moment later, he was above the surface. He looked around and saw the half submerged face of Shadow Gundam.

"Schwarz! Did you see Karla down below?" Niklas asked.

Shadow Gundam's other hand broke the surface of the water, and soon Niklas was able to cross to where Karla lay unconscious. He saw a bloody gash on Karla's head.

Niklas shook her shoulders and exclaimed, "Karla!"

Karla lay unconscious. Niklas checked for a pulse and found a weak one. She wasn't breathing so he administered first aid. Once she was breathing again, Schwarz said, "I'll take you close to the boat that picked up the other survivors. They can pull you out of the water."

"But..." Niklas stuttered.

"I must investigate something below the surface, Niklas. It's important, or else I wouldn't do it," Schwarz replied.

Niklas held Karla as Shadow Gundam submerged beneath them. Niklas started swimming and pulling Karla towards the nearby wooden boat. He called out to get their attention. Someone on board noticed them in the water. A ladder was flung over the side of the boat and Niklas was able to grab hold of the ladder.

"She's injured, I need help to bring her aboard," Niklas said.

"Okay, I'll come down and help," Raymond called. A few minutes later, Karla was aboard and Niklas climbed over the rail and went to where Karla was being tended to by several ladies.

"Thank you," Niklas said. "We appreciate your help."

"It's no problem. I'm Nastasha from Neo-Russia," Nastasha replied as she looked up from cleaning the wound on Karla's forehead.

"I'm Bunny and that's Janet, we're from Neo-America," Bunny replied. Janet was kneeling on the other side of Karla.

"I'm Niklas Bruder. Nice to meet you both," Niklas said. "What is Karla's condition?"

"I'm not a doctor, but from what I can see, she may have a concussion. I thought that she would be conscious by now," Nastasha replied. "This wound must be more serious than it looks. I lost my communicator in the water or else I'd contact my ship to come pick us up. We have a medical unit on board."

"Is there somewhere below that Karla can rest?" Niklas asked.

"Janet, let's see if we can take her below," Bunny replied.

Niklas said, "Thank you. I'll help too." He went and found a stretcher and brought it back to where Karla lay. With the help of Bunny and Janet, Karla was soon lying on a cot below decks.

Nastasha said, "Why don't you two go back above? I'll stay here with Karla."

Bunny and Janet nodded, and when Niklas didn't move, she said, "Niklas, Nastasha will take care of her. You need to rest too. Follow me."

Niklas glanced over his shoulder at Karla before turning and following Janet. They went above and Janet draped a blanket over his shoulders and Bunny brought him a cup of warm tea. Niklas sipped the tea and felt its warmth slowly suffuse through him. Looking around, he saw all of the Shuffle Alliance members' crews were on board.

"You're from Neo-Austria, right?" Janet asked.

"We are the Neo-Austrian team," Niklas whispered.

"That didn't answer my question. You said your last name is Bruder. Are you related to Schwarz?" Janet asked.

"Yes," Niklas replied. Looking into the cup he held, he added, "I am his son."

"I don't understand. How come you are with the Neo-Austrian team? Shouldn't you be with the Neo-Germany team?" Janet asked.

"It's true that I am a citizen of Neo-Germany, but my training is in the field of gundam mechanics. The Neo-German team didn't need a gundam mechanic. I was approached by the Neo-Austrians to become the new mechanic for their team," Niklas replied.

"Why did you accept?" Janet asked. "Didn't your national pride mean anything to you?"

"I accepted because I needed the job. National pride doesn't dictate my actions," Niklas replied.

Janet gasped. "I can't imagine not caring about national pride."

"It's not that I don't care about it, but I have a job to do and I'm glad I took the job. Otherwise, I might never have met Karla," Niklas said, closing his eyes and smiling.

"But why isn't Karla fighting in the Battle Royale?" Janet asked.

Niklas opened his eyes and looked towards the island. "The new President of Neo-Austria informed Karla that she would not be participating in the Battle Royale under any circumstances."

"She only lost one battle and that was to Schwarz!" Janet exclaimed.

Niklas shrugged. "It could be that is the exact reason he ordered Karla not to fight. Neo-Austria and Neo-Germany have had political problems lately and Karla has been stuck in the middle of it as an expendable pawn to both sides."

"How terrible!" a man said from in front of them. "I couldn't help but overhear. I am Keiun, of the Neo-China team."

"Niklas Bruder," Niklas said. "It is terrible that Karla is thought of as an expendable chess piece. However, my feelings toward her are quite different. I..."

An explosion on Lantau Island drew everyone's attention and drowned out Niklas' final words.

* * *

Nastasha heard the rumble of the explosion and saw that Karla was still unconscious. Looking around, she spied a bag with an antenna sticking out of it. She crossed the room to it, opened the bag and found a small communications device. Pulling it out, she tried to contact her ship.

A man answered, "Ma'am, we were wondering what happened to you, we've been trying to contact you for a while."

"I almost drowned and lost my communications device in the sea. Bring the ship out to my position. We have a person here who needs medical attention," Nastasha replied.

"We aren't being allowed to go near the ship," the man replied.

"What? By whose authority?" Nastasha demanded.

"They claim to be the Prime Minister's men," the man replied.

Nastasha closed her eyes for a moment before replying, "Stand down, but don't stray from the ship. At the first opening in their ranks, get into the ship and bring it out here."

"Yes ma'am," the man replied.

Nastasha turned off the device and slammed her fist on the table in frustration.

"What is it?" Niklas asked from the far side of the room.

Nastasha turned and replied, "My men are being prevented from bringing my ship out here. I have better medical facilities there and could give Karla a thorough examination if we were on board.

"That...won't...be...necessary," Karla said weakly as she pushed herself up on her elbows.


End file.
